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Opposition failed 'Sochi Conspiracy' - Opinion

By Yasser Ashkar

The Assad regime had a dialogue with itself in Sochi. The event had more of a carnival atmosphere than that of a serious peace talks while the lives of civilians in Syria and the future of millions of Syrian refugees still hung in the balance. 

There was also the glaring absence of French and American delegates despite the fact that they received invitations which they turned down due to Russia's refusal to seriously discuss the issues of a new constitution and elections. 

Since the Russians are Assad's allies, they knew that the regime's delegation would participate in the conference no matter what. Farouk Arnous, the regime's Foreign Ministry consultant attended the gathering in the absence of the Syrian Revolution forces.

Was it merely a coincidence that the Israeli Prime Minister Netanyahu also arrived in Sochi on the day the conference was scheduled to begin?

It is obvious that the Sochi conference was no more than an attempt by Assad's allies to weaken the Syrian opposition's position and delegitimize its goals and objectives. In spite of the Syrian opposition's objections to the obvious collusion between the Russians and Assad, and the refusal of many of its delegates to participate in a sham dialogue, we saw the content of the Sochi concluding statement and its obvious recognition of Assad's legitimacy and full criminalization of the Syrian revolution, ignoring all of its goals and requirements for a peaceful resolution to the crisis in Syria.

In terms of being a legitimate effort to restore peace in Syria, Sochi failed before it even began.

Free Syrian people didn’t begin their revolution in order to write a new constitution under the continuing rule of Assad thugs. Any acceptance of a Russian proposal that includes Assad remaining in power would be considered a betrayal of the Syrian Revolution and the fixed principles of toppling the brutal Assad regime. 

This is the first time opposition and loyalist delegates gathered together in one hall and the representation was not equal at all. The dialogue included everything but they forgot to talk about the lost dignity which will come only when we learn how to love and respect each other under the banner of All for Syria and Syria for All. 

The Baathist celebration in Sochi of its wedding with Russia appears to have achieved its main goal of forming a committee that will try to impose upon the Syrian people a constitution prepared by Russia, but we will not settle for living under their guardianship mandate.

We love Syria and we will continue to fight for freedom, democracy, justice and dignity for all Syrians. 

We love Syria though our beloved land is soaked with the blood of our martyrs and our precious children and will continue the struggle so that their death would not go in vain. 

 

Zaman Al Wasl- Yasser Ashkar
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