The Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) met with a delegation from the Peace and Freedom Front, which comprises the Kurdish National Council, the Assyrian Democratic Organization, the Syrian Al-Ghad Movement, and the Arab Council of the Jazira and the Euphrates.
The meeting focused on the importance of the region east of the Euphrates and the need to allow the local population to manage the region by themselves.
The meeting brought together SOC’s President Nasr al-Hariri, Vice-president Ruba Habboush, Secretary-General Abdelbaset Abdullatif, members of the political committee Abdulahad Asteiphou, Nazir al-Hakim, Abdel Majid Barakat, Abdullah Kaddo, and the SOC’s representative to the European Union and Belgium Bashar Hajj Ali .
It also brought together members of the Assyrian Democratic Organization Dawood Dawood and Gabriel Korreya, representative of the Syrian Al-Ghad Movement, Wasif Al-Zab, member of the Kurdistan Democratic Party, member of the Kurdish National Council, Muhammad Ismail, and Secretary of the Kurdistan Yekiti Party Suleiman Ossou.
Al-Hariri talked about the importance of northeastern Syria as he stressed the country’s unity and territorial integrity, describing it as a red line.
Al-Hariri stressed the SOC’s rejection of foreign terrorist organizations and their branches inside Syria. He said: “It is absolutely impossible to accept any foreign militias on Syrian territory, whether they are leaders or elements,” stressing that this should be the basis of any national dialogue process.
For their part, the delegation of the Peace and Freedom Front reaffirmed commitment to the integrity of the Syrian territory as they stressed that the Front’s documents are an epitome of the principles of the papers approved by the official forces of the Syrian revolution and opposition.
The delegation emphasized that the components of the Front are an essential part of the official institutions of the SOC and the Syrian Negotiations Commission which have the same aspirations to reach a political solution in accordance with international resolutions, especially the Geneva Communique of 2012 and UN Resolution 2254.
The delegation stressed that the Front believes in joint action and that it is a national body that is open to all forces and components in Syria, noting that the Front aims to extend bridges with all forces at home and abroad.
Members of the Front’s delegation gave an overview on the negotiations with the PYD and its affiliated parties. They pointed to the existence of major differences, especially the dissociation from the PKK and the withdrawal of all PKK elements from Syria; compulsory conscription, release of detainees, disclosure of the fate of the kidnapped, the educational curricula, and the issue of social contract.
The two sides stressed the importance of holding further meetings for coordination, consultation and discussion of the political, field and humanitarian developments in northeast Syria. (Source: SOC’s Media Department)
