President of the Syrian Coalition, Abdurrahman Mustafa, met with the Finish, Danish and Norwegian as well as German envoys to Syria and discussed with them the latest field and political developments in Syria.
Mustafa, who was accompanied by Head of the Department of Foreign Relations, Abdel-Ahad Steifo, stressed the need to start the work of the constitutional committee under the umbrella of the United Nations in parallel with the other baskets included in the Geneva talks. He pointed out that the international community has a responsibility to prevent the Assad regime and its allies from disrupting the political process and taking it to a standstill.
Mustafa expressed the hope that there would be increased international momentum towards Syria in order to pave the way for an inclusive political process and the implementation of international resolutions. He called on the Western envoys to ratchet up pressure on the Assad regime to force it to meet its obligations in accordance with the Geneva Communique of 2012 and the UN Security Council Resolution 2254.
Moreover, Mustafa pointed to the Assad regime’s daily violations of the Idlib agreement with the support of its allies. He warned that these violations risked causing a major humanitarian disaster resulting in a new wave of refugees towards Turkey and other countries.
Mustafa reaffirmed the Coalition’s commitment to consolidate the Idlib agreement, calling on the international community to contribute to the development of the agreement and support the Turkish efforts to reach a nationwide ceasefire.
He also called for stepping up support for the Syrian Interim Government and its institutions to enable it to restore stability in the liberated areas and meet the needs of the displaced people. Mustafa also touched on the situation in the town of Manbij as he expressed that the US-Turkish roadmap for the town will cover all the areas east of the Euphrates River.
Furthermore, Mustafa talked about the immense suffering the issue of detainees and forcibly disappeared persons is causing to Syrian civilians. He underscored that the issue of detainees must not be used as a bargaining chip, stressing that this humanitarian issue must not be subject to negotiation. He also said that no one should keep silent about the Assad regime’s crimes against detainees, including torture to death.
Mustafa highlighted the situation of Syrian refugees, stressing that the fundamental solution to the problem lay in the ability of the international community to create the appropriate conditions for their return through providing them with legal guarantees and ensuring the participation of the United Nations and relevant organizations in the process. He also stressed that the return of refugees must be voluntary and in a safe environment.
With regards to appointment of Geir Pedersen as the new UN envoy to Syria, Mustafa expressed the hope that there will be a real political process leading to an end to the suffering of the Syrian people and meeting their aspirations for freedom and dignity. He said that the Western governments should stop watching the Assad regime’s crimes, calling for supporting accountability for war crimes, including the use of chemical weapons and the mass forced displacement. He said that it is the responsibility of everyone to bring these ongoing violations to an end. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
