Opposition Coalition Denounces Assad Move

The main Syrian exile opposition group, the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, issued a statement on Friday denouncing Syria’s willingness to join the Chemical Weapons Convention as a feint by the government of President Bashar al-Assad and saying, “The regime cannot be allowed to use diplomatic activity to indefinitely stall international action while it continues its policy of widespread violence against civilians.”

Full text below.

The Syrian Coalition is deeply skeptical about the Assad regime’s signing of the Chemical Weapons Convention on Thursday. Such a gesture comes as too little too late to save civilians from the regime’s murderous intent and is clearly an attempt to evade international action as well as accountability in front of the Syrian people.

A U.N. Security Council resolution on the matter must enforce compliance through clearly defined time lines and consequences.

The Chemical Weapons Convention requires a state to act in good faith. Considering the regime’s actions, this is not something the Syrian people can afford to grant the regime. It is vital the threat of force stays on the table. For a U.N.S.C. resolution to be anything other than a get-out-of-jail free card for the regime it must be enforceable under Chapter 7.

The regime cannot be allowed to use diplomatic activity to indefinitely stall international action while it continues its policy of widespread violence against civilians. This can only be accomplished by making it clear to the regime it must fulfill obligations within a set time period, and that international military action will be the consequence of noncompliance.

The coalition is also clear that in the unlikely event the regime does turn its weapons of mass destruction over to the international community to be destroyed, the Syrian people will not consider the regime absolved of its guilt.

During the last 30 months, the regime has used violence against civilians as — what the U.N. has called — a “matter of policy.” This has included the poison gas attack on Aug. 21, more than 10 previous instances of chemical weapon use and countless instances of attacks on civilians by rockets, tanks and warplanes.

Long live Syria and its people, free and with honor.