Could Riyad Hijab, the defected PM, lead Syria's political transition?

A televised speech by Riyad_Hijab, the former Syrian Prime Minister, presents a policy initiative whose backbone is UN Resolution 2254 (2015), which outlines the roadmap for Syria's political transition.

The statement by the leading politician, who defected Damascus regime in August 2012, seems to have been prompted by the Syrian opposition follwing the ongoing advance of the armed oppotioned in Aleppo and Idlib region, to surface Hijab as the leader of a transitional phase in Syria, especially since the former Prime Minister is the most prominent and highest-ranking politician to have defected from the regime, in addition to his tribal and clan background, being a native of the eastern Deir ez-Zor province, his good relations with the Gulf States, and his political acumen on a personal level.

Hijab, in a speech broadcast by Syria TV, stressed the importance of cooperation to save Syria from its current crisis and achieve the people's aspirations for freedom and justice, stressing that supporting the collapsed regime of Bashar al-Assad does not serve the interests of any party.

Bashar al-Assad continues to ignore his successive failures, continuing to use the language of blood and destruction that has become the hallmark of his rule, adding that the regime has ignored international resolutions and disregarded them, stressing that recent events have revealed the authenticity of the Syrian people and their , adherence to their national identity that transcends any narrow affiliations, he added.

Hijab explained that the Syrian opposition factions were able to control the city of Aleppo and the surrounding areas without bloodshed or committing violations.

He also stressed that the unity of Syrian territory represents a red line that cannot be crossed under any pretext, stressing the need to protect Syrian blood and respect property and honor. He pointed out that the future of Syria will only be achieved through tolerance and equal citizenship, while combating sectarianism and hate speech.

Hijab called for establishing a democratic system of government that guarantees justice and basic freedoms, and allows refugees and displaced persons to return to their homeland. He also called for adopting a comprehensive program for reconstruction and restoration of infrastructure and basic services. He stressed that the economic and social crises caused by Assad were the result of his fabrication of crises and exporting them to neighboring countries. He called on the countries supporting the regime to reconsider their positions and stop supporting Assad, who caused one of the greatest humanitarian tragedies of the current century, calling on the international community and sister and friendly countries to redouble their efforts to end the suffering of the Syrian people through a political solution based on international resolutions, especially Resolution 2254.

Opposition forces swept into the city of Aleppo, east of Idlib province, on December 27, forcing the army to redeploy in the biggest challenge to President Bashar al-Assad in years.

Some 7.2 million people have sought refuge from the fighting inside Syria while millions more have fled the country.

The United Nations has said that this year 16.7 million people in Syria will require some type of humanitarian assistance or protection -- the largest number since the conflict erupted in 2011.

About 90 percent of Syrians live in poverty, according to UN figures.

Almost 7.5 million children in Syria will need humanitarian assistance in 2024, more than at any other time during the conflict, according to the UN child welfare agency UNICEF.