Qatar’s foreign minister Khaled al-Attiyah said on Tuesday that the root cause of the problem in Syria is the Assad regime, and namely Bashar al-Assad. “Any initiatives that are not based on the Geneva I Communique, which are acceptable to the Syrian people, and on the formation of a transitional governing body that excludes Assad, will not see success,” Attiyah told Al-Hayat newspaper in an interview.
Referring to the Russian initiative put forward by Russian President Vladimir Putin at the 70th session of the UN General Assembly, Attiyah said that the Russian position is not new and has not changed on Syria.
“Having been fighting on five fronts for over four years, the Syrian people however have not succumbed to its adversaries.”
“Actions, rather than just words, are needed if the international community wants to salvage Syria. Any political settlement, whether based on the Geneva I Communique or on any other initiatives, must take the demands of the Syrian people into consideration. A barrel bomb that falls on women, children and the elderly leads to the same result when a terrorist who cut off heads. By failing to recognize the demands of the Syrian people, they will be left with two bitter options, either the Assad regime or ISIS.”
Al-Attiyah also pointed out that the Syrian people took to arms only after the Assad regime launched a brutal crackdown on the popular uprising from the very first day. “Syrian rebels are defending themselves, their honor, their property and against the Assad regime’s attempts to change Syria’s demography.”
On September 27, the Syrian Coalition’s political committee met with representatives of the rebel factions operating in Syria to discuss the latest political developments. They emphasize rejection of any presence of Bashar al-Assad in the transitional period or in Syria’s future as well as of all attempts to re-market the Assad regime which caused the death of hundreds of thousands of Syrians, destroyed their cities and infrastructure, and forced millions out of their homes.
In a statement released following the meeting, the two sides stated that the Russian military build-up in Syria to protect Bashar al-Assad from falling does not serve a political solution, stressing that Russia has never been a mediator in the conflict but a partner to the regime. They also stress this military presence will further complicate the situation in Syria and exacerbate the suffering, murder and the destruction in Syria. (Source: Syrian Coalition)
