Members of the Syrian Coalition’s political committee met with representatives of countries of the Friends of Syria group in Istanbul on Thursday to discuss the outcome of the first round of the Geneva 4 talks and latest developments in the political process.
The meeting mainly discussed the briefing presented by the UN special envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura to the UN Security Council on Wednesday on the latest round of talks in Geneva. Abdul-Ahad Steifo, Vice-president of the Coalition participated in the meeting.
Member of the political committee Nasr Hariri stressed that the HNC delegation has seriously engaged in the talks in Geneva out of its realization of the need to achieve a political transition in accordance with the Geneva Communique of 2012 and the UN Security Council resolutions. He also stressed that any solution must ensure that the aspirations of the Syrian people are met.
Hariri, who is also head of the delegation of the opposition’s High Negotiations Committee (HNC) to Geneva talks, pointed out that the HNC’s delegation will discuss details of the political transition, the fight against cross-border and state terror, a new constitution, and free and fair elections after a political transition has been achieved and a transitional governing body put in place with full powers.
Hariri noted that the Assad regime is still seeking to evade seriously engaging in negotiations with the aim of clinging to power and continues to escalate attacks on the Syrian people. He also said that the Assad regime will always seek to sabotage efforts aimed at achieving a transition towards a free and democratic state.
Hariri warned of the regime’s attempts to undermine the political process through stonewalling and engaging in endless discussions. He called upon the United Nations to take concrete action to force the Assad regime to engage into serious negotiations and stop evading its obligations.
For their part, representatives of the Friends of Syria group praised the performance of the Syrian opposition in the latest round of negotiations and its positive cooperation with the United Nations to discuss the implementation of international resolutions, particularly UNSC resolutions 2118 and 2254.
The representatives reaffirmed continued support for the struggle of the Syrian people to gain freedom and dignity and to build a democratic state in which the rights of all citizens are guaranteed. (Source: Syrian Coalition’s Media Department)
