President of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), Salem al-Meslet, met with Ibrahim Kalin, chief advisor to the Turkish president, in Ankara to discuss the latest on the ground and political developments in Syria, especially the Assad regime’s and its backers’ military escalation in southern and northwestern Syria.
Al-Meslet stressed that this escalation requires an effective international action to rein in the criminal regime and protect civilians. He said: “We see that Turkey, as a guarantor of the de-escalation zones agreement, has a pivotal role in this regard. Negotiations with the people in Dara’a are continuing, but they are faltering due to the intransigence of the criminal regime and its insistence on displacing the locals along with other impossible conditions.”
On the political level, al-Meslet stressed that the Assad regime’s procrastination and continuous obstructionism of all political efforts makes the political process an impossible equation. He stresses the need for effective mechanisms for imposing a political transition in the country in accordance with UN Resolution 2254, and for referring criminals to the International Criminal Court, chief among them is the head of the regime.
Moreover, al-Meslet offered his condolences to Turkey for the lives lost in the disastrous wildfires and floods that have hit many areas across Turkey in recent weeks. He stressed the strong relations between the two peoples and the Syrian people’s sympathy and full support for the Turkish people in the face of these challenges.
He also thanked the Turkish people and government for hosting Syrian refugees and standing with them in their plight. He reaffirmed the Syrian people’s appreciation and gratitude for Turkey and its people. He pointed to the need to confront hate speech that aims to sow discord between the two brotherly peoples, adding that awareness of both peoples is the best way to confront this.
For his part, Kalin reaffirmed Turkey’s support for the Syrian people and their just cause until the liberation of their country from the grip of criminals and the return of Syrians in a voluntary and dignified manner. He also reaffirmed Turkey’s support for political transition in Syria through UN resolutions, most notably UN Resolution 2254. (Source: SOC’s Media Department)
