Syrian Coalition: We Regret That Some Factions Allow Their Own Interests to Take Precedence over the National Interest

Louay Safi, spokesman for the Syrian Coalition, said “that Arab foreign ministers discussed giving Syria’s seat in the Arab League to the Syrian Coalition during a meeting held in Cairo yesterday. While most Arab foreign ministers supported the move, to the foreign ministers of Algeria, Lebanon and Iraq objected giving the seat over to the Syrian Coalition. Nabil al-Arabi, Secretary General of the Arab League, said that the Arab League “is awaiting the completion of the opposition institutions before taking Syria’s seat, which has been vacant since 2012. Safi also said that Al Arabi’s remarks are linked to a message sent by the National Coordination Body to the Arab League asking it not to give Syria’s seat to the Syrian Coalition. “We regret that rivalries within the Syrian opposition forces take precedence over the national interests,” Safi said. Furthermore, he points out that the resumption of negotiations requires more than appeal by the Arab League to the UN Security Council. Rather, this requires a change in the position of the Assad regime and the countries that still support it. “As long as Russia supports the Assad regime, along with the absence of an international will to effectively support the revolution, we find this appeal is not enough. The Assad regime will not seriously engage into the process of political transition as long as they are supported by regional and international powers.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)