Syrian Coalition: Effective Mechanisms Needed To Hold Assad to His Commitments

Munzer Akbik, spokesman for the President of the Syrian Coalition, said that Jarba’s insistence on replacing the head of the regime’s delegation to Geneva with Farouq al-Shara is attributed to the inability Assad’s current delegation to make any decisions. “The regime’s current delegation is not authorized to independently make decisions, and all they can do is stymie or block negotiations. We need to negotiate with someone who is empowered to make decisions,” Akbik said. He also stresses that “starving civilians and blocking the entry of food and medical supplies are completely prohibited by the international law and the Geneva Convention of 1949. Furthermore, The Syrian Coalition considers the latest agreement to evacuate civilians from besieged Old Homs a cosmetic and incomplete response to international legal commitments. It falls short of the residents’ expectations in the besieged area. The Coalition further cautions against considering the agreement a substitute for breaking the siege on Old Homs, as well as on all other besieged areas. “The manipulative nature of the Assad regime raises doubts about its real intentions behind the agreement. The regime will soon find a way to shirk its responsibilities and renege on the deal, as was the case in previous deals, such as the one reached in Moadamiya, rural Damascus, whereby the regime promised people safe exit but arrested a large number of them on their way out,” the Coalition said. Moreover, the Syrian coalition said that “the Assad regime also refused to comply with the six-point plan drawn up by former UN envoy Kofi Annan in 2012. The Syrian Coalition expresses its deep concern that the evacuation of some civilians from Homs will be a prelude to the regime destroying the city with the remaining residents trapped inside. It is vital to remember that the regime has used similar tactics in the past to change the demographics of some areas in Syria. It has used similar deals to buy time to strengthen its positions on the ground and to kill more civilians.” The Syrian Coalition appreciates the United Nations’ efforts to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people. However, the UN needs to try not to fall into the trap of thinking it can solve a crisis by merely addressing the catastrophic results emanating from it. The international community must deal with the root cause of the crisis. It must realize that Syria can no longer be ruled by a dictator and the Syrian people will no longer tolerate oppression and tyranny. “Video footage and eyewitness accounts coming out of the besieged city of Homs show regime forces firing on UN aid convoys and civilians being evacuated. The attacks – which likely constitute a war crime – are the latest in a series where the regime has violated promises of safe passage. A number of countries are currently considering tabling a resolution at the United Nations Security Council calling for humanitarian access. The Syrian Coalition urgently calls on the UNSC to pass this resolution as soon as possible. The regime has repeatedly shown cynical disregard for the lives of Syrian civilians, as well the opinion of the international community,” the Syrian Coalition said. However, the Coalitions stresses, firing at the United Nations aid convoys and at civilians who put their trust in the an international body is a new low point. Considering the regime’s previous actions, any new resolution must incorporate mechanisms that apply concrete pressure on the regime to fulfil its public pledges.