Syria Internal Opposition says political solution is the only exit: Interview

The general coordinator of the internal-opposition National Body for the Democratic Change, has expressed desire to call for a third consultative meeting with the West-backed National Coalition. "Despite the Coalition’s previous unfulfilled promises," Hassan Abdel Azim told Zaman Alwasl in special interview.

The meeting is a preparation for the second round of Geneva 2 peace talks which is unknown if it’s going to be productive. He said

A negotiated political settlement and not a military one is the only solution that can end the Syrian crisis, he added.

Azim revealed the dispute details with the coalition before attending “Geneva 2”, stressing that their refusal to attend the meetings of Istanbul was because of America’s constant dictations.

Following is the text of the interview:

You have met Mr. Ahmad Jarba, National Coalition Leader, few weeks before Geneva 2, and the meeting according to what is reported was constructive, then you refused to go to Geneva2. What's happened?

When Lakhdar Brahimi started the preparations of Geneva 2, the committee’s executive office saw that forming the opposition delegation requires a consultative meeting that includes the committee, coalition, Kurds and other independent figures to put a negotiable program and form a balanced delegation opposite to the regime’s delegation.

And when the UN Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon decided Geneva 2 date on 22/1/2014, the executive office decided to send a delegation headed by myself as a coordinator to meet with a delegation from the coalition headed by Mr. Ahmed Ali Jarba in late December 2013 in Cairo.

During the three hours meeting, the collation agreed on the idea of consultative meeting which includes within 50 people to put one program and form a delegation without media interference.

The meeting was supposed to be held prior to Cordoba conference on 9/1/2014 which was intended to achieve the same idea, but many powerful figures in the coalition refused the idea under the excuse that the coalition is the opposition and Syrians’ representative.

Lakhdar Brahimi’s deputy Dr. Mokhtar Lamani handed us an English copy of the message on January 14, with a copy sent to the head of coalition from the Secretary – General Mr. Ban Ki-moon to work on forming a Syrian opposition delegation.

The purpose of sending us a copy of the message was to cooperate with him in forming the delegation, but the coalition had not decided yet to attend the conference until January 18th.

He called me the next day from Istanbul and invited me to attend the conference as well Dr. Aref Dalila Deputy General Coordinator, and we apologized for many reasons, first: a US state department official requested the delegation to be mainly from the coalition in addition to two personalities from the committee.

Second, there was no time for a consultative meeting to put a joint program for negotiations.

Taking into consideration these factors, the committee’s executive office issued Unanimous decision refusing attending the conference.

Geneva 2 held in its time and negotiations between the two parties showed no progress not even in the humanitarian issues, and the date was postponed until the tenth of February.

Then I got a call from Cairo from a member in the coalition’s previous delegation inviting us to come to another meeting in the sixth of February.

The meeting between the committee and the coalition took place again and we presented a draft for a political paper to negotiate, and a regulatory draft vision.

We were given an initial approval despite some unimportant remarks, then the committee’s executive office also approved on the project, but the Coalition retreated from the agreement due to its refusal to the sponsoring countries on the one hand and the influence of powerful figures in the coalition.

Only the coalition delegation attended the second round of Geneva 2 which in turn achieved no success.

• Do you think that there is a tangible result of these negotiations?

Geneva1 statement had a political solution to the Syrian crisis because it includes a clear action plan or road map to find a new democratic system and reach a civil democratic country.

Military solution and armed conflict reached a dead end for the fighting parties, leading to more bloodshed and casualties of civilians and military soldiers.

Violence, chaos; extremism in addition to escalation of destruction displaced thousands inside Syria and out to neighboring countries.

The crisis is no longer between Syrians themselves, it involves other Arab, regional, and international parties.

The Crisis can’t be solved except with an international conference based on mutual understanding between these parties.

This understanding took place between the American administration and the Russian Federation on 7/5/2013 and it will be reflected on other international, regional, and Arab parties, especially after handing over the chemical weapons in Syria to the UN be destroyed .

The unsuccessful negotiation in Geneva two rounds was due to the absence of key opposition figures that have a clear vision, political program, and independent national way of decision-making.

In addition to the lack of government’s representation after excluding two figures that were part of the regime years ago such as: people’s will party, and Syrian Social Nationalist Party which have goals intersect with the internal opposition in demanding National democratic change.

• We haven’t seen your friends (the Russians) insist on your presence and some say that the events exceeded Committee’s existence.. What do you say?

To say that the events exceeded us has no basis because since the beginning, we were committed to a political solution, and rejected despotism , violence, sectarianism and any kind of military intervention .

I welcomed Geneva 1 statement since its release and called for a second international conference in May 2013 based on the a Russian-American agreement, and submitted a detailed executive memorandum for a political solution to Lakhdar Brahimi , the United States and the sponsors of the conference.

• Coalition demanded the presence of Abdul Aziz Al Khair in the delegation to push the regime to release him. How do you see this move?

In my opinion, demanding Abdul Aziz’s presence in the negotiations is just a tactical move to draw attention to the delegation role, and an attempt to compensate the committee’s presence because since the arrest of Dr. Aziz and his colleagues on 20/9 /2012 the coalition hasn’t issued a statement condemning the arrest and demanding his release, instead there were numerous media infringements questioning the committee and its people’s credibility.

• Coalition presented a working paper for the transitional period.. What is your view of this vision?

It is required from the coalition leadership to hold the consultative meeting of the opposition forces and the revolution and to put one program to negotiate the formation of opposition delegation according to Geneva 1 statement

The delegation priority is to cease the fire, release detainees, prisoners and abductees, facilitate the passage of relief to all besieged areas, which will pave the way towards a peaceful democratic transition in Syria according to Geneva 1 provisions.

• Where are you from the political process of Geneva 2 ?

We have a clear vision and an integrated program for a political solution, and are determined to hold a consultative meeting in Cairo before the third round to reform a Syrian opposition delegation with one program and win the political battle in the conference.

• The Democratic Union announced for the second time the interim administration for some areas in the north .. What do you call this behavior.. and what is your position ?

The question refers to it as an interim administration and the committee’s Executive Office decided to start a dialogue with the Democratic Union Party’s leadership in the light of documents the committee has.

The office also decided to form a committee to go to the eastern and northern areas of Syria to talk to the executive committee of Interim Administration.

There is a mutual understanding between the committee forces and our allies in the Democratic Union Party, and the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Party to emphasize the presence of the Kurdish national historic and authentic part of the national Syrian fabric within the unity of the country’s land and people as stipulated in the documents of the committee.

• What do you want from Geneva  and where is Syria going?

We want to implement the provisions of Geneva 1 statement and achieve a historical political settlement that transforms Syria to a new phase integrating with the Arab Spring revolutions in Egypt and Tunisia and restoring the nation's regional role in supporting the Palestinian cause as a central cause of the nation.

By Abdullah Rja; Translation by Dani Murad