The Syrian Coalition calls on the Arab League to hold an emergency ministerial meeting to discuss the Russian military aggression on Syria and to take measures in order to stop it. The call came in a letter sent by President Khoja to the Arab League’s Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi.
The letter states that the Russian invasion of Syria violates the resolutions of the UN Security Council, the UN General Assembly, and the Arab League, particularly the Geneva I Communique. It also undermines all the efforts aimed at reaching a political solution in Syria, threatens international peace and security as well as threatens the Arab national security.
The Syrian Coalition strongly condemns the Russian blatant aggression on Syria, calling on the international community to condemn it. It also calls for departure of all foreign forces from Syria, whether they are Russian, Iranian, ISIS, the Hezbollah militia and all other sectarian militias. Urgent action must be taken to protect civilians as a crucial step for launching a political process and a transitional period without the dictator Bashar al-Assad and all war criminals in Syria.
The letter also stated that the Russian intervention is now direct and open after it remained overt for over four years. Russia has now took over several air bases and military facilities in Syria, and, including Latakia and Hama air bases as well as the old naval base in Tartus. It also signed oil and gas contracts in Syrian territorial waters, let alone shielding the Assad regime against any possible action through vetoing four UN Security Council resolutions.
Khoja stresses that Russia made the decision to directly intervene in Syria under the pretext of countering terrorism, but in fact its air force is bombing civilians and the areas beyond the regime’s control in an attempt to support Bashar al-Assad power loss of legitimacy and to thwart the Syrian people’s legitimate demands for a state of justice and law.
The Syrian Coalition expresses deep concern over the nature of the targets Russia is bombing in Homs, Hama, and Latakia, signaling alarm that it represents the beginning of Russian plan aimed at bringing about a demographic change in Syria and a prelude to the portioning of the country. Russia is helping the Assad regime carve out a mini Alawite state after they failed to crush the popular uprising.
The Syrian Coalition stresses that Russian intervention amounts to a direct invasion of Syria, describing it as unlawful and illegal. Bashar al-Assad and his government has long lost legitimacy, so according to the international law, Russia cannot provide him with military aid. When the people claim their right to self-determination, as in the case of Syria, the government forfeits the legitimacy rule, which applies to the case in Syria after the breakout of the revolution back in 2011. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
