Khaled Khoja
President of the Syrian Coalition
Media Office
January 06, 2015
Hadi al-Bahra Passes Presidency to Newly Elected Khaled Khoja During Farewell Speech
Bahra: As you all know, I took over the leadership of the Syrian Coalition over the past six months during which we embarked on executing a comprehensive plan to institutionalize and reform the Syrian Coalition and its institutions by putting together a basic plan to return to Syria for the interim government to begin providing services inside Syria. Perhaps most importantly, we are now more open to other opposition blocs endorsing the goals of the revolution for freedom and dignity and working towards real and full political transition.
We have worked very hard, with the utmost patience and sincerity. We have gone through ups and downs, and made mistakes, but more importantly, we identified our mistakes and tried to correct them. Today we pass the leadership to our colleagues who have our full trust to proceed with carrying on the Syrian Coalitions’ plans. This does not mean that we will stop working, rather we shall become members of the Coalition’s body and strongly support our new leaders.
During the 18th session, the Syrian Coalition’s General Assembly elected Dr. Khaled Khoja the president of the Syrian Coalition, and Ms. Nagham al-Ghadiri and Dr. Hisham Marwah as Vice Presidents. Mr. Yahya Maktabi was elected as Secretary General.
I wish the new presidential body luck in helping serve the Syrian people achieve their aspirations, and I call on Dr. Khaled to introduce himself and deliver his inaugural speech.
Thank you.
Khaled Khoja answers questions of journalists during the press conference
Mr. President, Ladies and Gentlemen, members of the Syrian Coalition:
I would like to thank you for entrusting me to lead our next phase, and I humbly accept the task and promise to do my best.
It is no secret that the Syrian Coalition has faced many obstacles in the past preventing us from efficiently and effectively performing our roles.
In this new stage, we will make every effort to demand attention to the plight of the Syrian people, whether in liberated areas, inside Syria or in neighbouring countries hosting refugees.
Our duty towards the people requires us to work at all levels to start a new phase, one that adheres to the principles of the Syrian revolution.
It is a phase in which the Syrian Coalition will bring attention inside Syrian because that is where this revolution began. They are the very people from which we draw our legitimacy, they are the people who rose demanding freedom and dignity and we will continue to ensure their voices are heard loud and clear.
We will also continue to work with those who have given our cause international recognition, and with our friends who stand by our side through thick and thin.
We will work with all active revolutionary forces to create a common vision that achieves the goals of the revolution, which will exclude Assad and his cronies from any future role in Syria. We will also actively engage in diplomatic efforts with international and regional parties to amplify the voice for freedom and democracy.
On behalf of the Syrian Coalition, I call upon the Syrian people and the revolutionary forces to rally around the leadership of the Syrian Coalition in our next phase, and I say to the Syrian people: We speak to the core of the revolution, namely the civilian and military councils and FSA commanders, to stand united with one hand and heart to defeat Assad and his murderous regime.
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