Head of Democratic Change will not attend any conference calls for partition or federalism: Interview

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Head of the National Coordinating Committee for Democratic Change (NCC) said the real Syrian opposition will not attend any conference on Syria that calls for partition or federalism as is being done now.

Hassan Abdul Azim assured that Sochi Conference before changing the name was inappropriate for the Syrian people, especially as the title was "Conference of Democratic Peoples in Syria," asserting that in Syria there is one people with respect to all sects and ethnicities.

The General Coordinator pointed out that the world is no longer convinced of the Assad regime, it is known that the regime has committed crimes in Syria, indicating that the accountability comes after the transitional period.

The Full Interview:

Z: While the Riyad conference is being held, there is also the Sochi Conference. Do you see any good outcome out of these conferences?

H: The conferences that are taking place at this stage all come at a dangerous juncture for the Syrian crisis. The Riyad conference is the most sensitive at this stage. It includes the real bodies of the Syrian opposition, and let me tell you that there is international and regional support for the success of the Riyad conference. As for Sochi, some currents have suggested that we focus more on the Sochi conference than the Riyad conference, but our view was to concentrate on Riyad first to put the real compass of the Syrian opposition.

Z: What do you think of the Sochi Conference?

H: The original objective of Sochi is to jump over all achievements of the UN. The Sochi purpose is to end the transitional period and maintain the current regime in accordance with a national unity government, but what we want is the transitional period, as stipulated in all resolutions related to the Syrian crisis.

Z: What are your notes on Sochi?

H: There were notes before they changed the name of the conference. First, there are no peoples in Syria, there is only one Syrian people. It is true that there is a diversity of religious, ethnic and other groups. We respect all this diversity, but the Syrian people are one. This is a sign of division and we reject it in bulk. We will not accept any conference that aspires to divide. Syria even the federal project cannot be put forward as is the current Kurdish proposal.

Z: Are you satisfied with your share of representation at the Riyad conference?

H: The National Coordinating Committee is bigger than this, but we will not stop at this, but the share in the conference is supposed to be bigger.

Z: So we are facing a political solution?

H: We have nothing but a political solution. Talking about military solution is past now. Unfortunately, there are still people who think of overthrowing the regime. This is becoming unrealistic, and these are the Muslim Brotherhood, which is not entirely in line with the political solution.

Z: It is said that there are two currents in the High Negotiation Committee wrestling in Riyad 2. The first current totally rejects Assad remain and the second can accept Assad in the transitional period?

H: It is true that there are different opinions, but in the end, any decision taken will be through consensus.

Z: Clearly what about Assad and the conflict of the transitional period?

H: Let me clarify a very important matter. All the countries concerned with the Syrian crisis are focused on one point now: fighting terrorism, and this of course requires the survival of the Syrian army. But this does not mean acceptance of the approach of despotism, so the solution through the Transitional Governing Body, where the position of the presidency remains, and this body is also determining the features of the stage and the fight against terrorism, but of course there are objections to the survival of Assad by the High Negotiations Committee. This requires a certain formula to end this dilemma.

Z: What do you say in talking about the reproduction of the regime?

H: This is not possible in international or regional accounts, not even in the accounts of the Syrian opposition. The regime is now known to have made mistakes in Syria and all the Western countries agree on this. The accountability will not be addressed now, but after the transitional government. No one is convinced with this regime, and it can no longer survive. There must be a new mind in Syria.

Zaman A Wasl