The Syrian Opposition Coalition’s (SOC) political committee held an extraordinary expanded meeting on Monday and Tuesday during which President Salem Al-Meslet and Vice President Abdulahad Astepho briefed the committee on the visit that the SOC’s leadership made to the United States in conjunction with the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
A joint delegation from the SOC, Syrian Negotiations Commission, and Syrian Interim Government met with the missions of the active states in the Security Council. The SOC also held meetings with the US administration.
Al-Meslet pointed out that the joint delegation held more than 27 meetings with foreign diplomatic missions in New York, adding that the meetings focused on the need to revitalize the political process and open all baskets laid out in UN Resolution 2254 as crucial to fulfilling the Syrian people’s demands for freedom, dignity and democracy.
Al-Meslet pointed out that the delegation called on the friendly states to hold a meeting outside the UN Security Council and work to implement UN resolutions on Syria in order to achieve a genuine political transition in the country.
Moreover, Al-Meslet gave an overview on the positions of the states they met with regard to the political process. He said that these states reaffirmed their rejection of normalization of relations with the Assad regime or allowing its rehabilitation, and their commitment to UN resolutions for a solution in Syria.
Al-Meslet also talked about the meetings that the SOC’s delegation held with the US administration, adding that these meetings focused on the political process as well as the tightening of sanctions on the Assad regime and the individuals and entities that help the regime circumvent the sanctions. The meetings also discussed the involvement of the Assad regime in the illicit drug trade to generate revenues and fund its military machine in addition to the regional and international impact of this trade.
Meanwhile, SOC’s Vice President Abdulahad Astepho spoke about the other basic issues that the delegation raised during the visit, especially the issues of detainees and refugees. He said that the delegation warned of involvement in early recovery projects and programs, adding that the delegation expressed its concerns that these programs might turn into reconstruction projects before a political process is completed.
He pointed out that the delegation highlighted the crimes and violations that the Assad regime and its allies and terrorist militias are committing against the Syrian people.
(Source: SOC’s media department)
