President Khoja and the accompanying delegation met with the US special presidential envoy for the global coalition to counter ISIS General John Allen and the US special envoy for Syria Michael Ratney in New York Yesterday. The delegation reiterated that Assad and his crimes are the root causes of the extremist and refugee crisis that are affecting Syria, the region and the world.
It also stressed that in order to effectively combat ISIS, there must be a comprehensive approach that protects civilians from Assad’s brutality; improves the humanitarian situation; effectively combats extremism; and leads to a political solution.
President Khoja discussed how a no-fly zone is the first step to solving both the causes and the global consequences of the Syrian crisis. This option is the least interventionist option in Syria and will help minimize the chances of a long, drawn-out and costly military intervention later down the line.
The delegation attended the Countering Violent Extremism Leaders Summit chaired by US President Barack Obama. At the Summit, President Obama and other world leaders discussed the global nature of the threat of violent extremism, particularly ISIS, and the need for greater international cooperation to address this threat.
During their visit to New York, President Khoja and the accompanying delegation are scheduled to meet with Austrian Foreign Minister Sebastian Kurtz, Danish Foreign Minister Christian Jensen, Hungary’s Minister of State for Security Policy and International Cooperation István Mikola, and the Vatican Foreign Minister Paul Gallagher to discuss the latest political and on the ground developments in Syria and the region.
The delegation will also meet the Danish Special Envoy to Syria Ivan Nielsen, the British special envoy to Syria Gareth Bayley, and the German Ambassador Miguel Berger. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
