The Syrian Opposition Coalition’s (SOC) to Brussels, headed by President Salem Al-Meslet, met with a delegation from the US State Department headed by Ethan Goldrich, Deputy Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Andrew Mueller, Senior Adviser to the US Mission to the United Nations, and Zahra Bell of the US National Security Council on the sidelines of the sixth annual donors conference on Syria.
The delegation comprised Vice President for Foreign Affairs Abdulahad Astepho, Vice President Ruba Habboush, members of the political committee Yahya Maktabi and Abdullah Kaddo, and Executive Director of the Assistance Coordination Unit Muhammad Hasno.
The two discussed the developments in the political process. The SOC’s delegation stressed the need to open all tracks of UN Resolution 2254.
The SOC’s delegation stressed the need to maintain the sanctions on the Assad regime and to reject attempts to normalize relations with it order to force it to engage in the political process and agree to a real political transition that fulfills the aspirations of the Syrian people for freedom and dignity.
The two parties discussed developments on the ground and living conditions in the liberated areas as well as the recent activities by the Syrian Interim Government to improve services and the living conditions. The delegation called for lifting the siege on the areas of Tel Abyad and Ras al-Ayn, and alleviating the suffering of the residents of the two areas which suffer from a shortage of basic materials for living and work.
The SOC’s delegation stressed the need to press for the release of detainees in the Assad regime’s prisons, stressing the need to ensure accountability. They pointed to the importance of urgent action by the United States at the UN Security Council as it chairs the Council for this month in order to hold the Assad regime accountable for the Tadamon Massacre.
(Source: SOC’s Media Department)
