Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem met Saturday with Indonesian Foreign Minister Marty Natalegawa on the sidelines of the 68th session of the United Nations General Assembly.
Moallem presented a review of the situation in Syria and confirmed Syria's support for the convention of the Geneva II conference to find a political solution to the crisis in Syria.
Natalegawa, in turn, expressed Indonesia’s wish for security and stability in Syria and reaffirmed the deep relations between the two countries.
He said only the Syrian people can decide their country's' future through a political process and without foreign interference.
The Indonesian minister welcomed Syria's accession to The Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW), adding that he hoped Syria would overcome its ordeal.
Moallem also met with his Lebanese counterpart, Adnan Mansour and discussed the latest developments in the Arab arena, with both sides emphasizing the necessity of reaching a peaceful solution to the crisis.
In an interview with Sky News Arabia on Saturday, Moallem affirmed that the Syrian government is ready to go to Geneva to hold dialogue with the national opposition, but not to hand over power to anyone.
Moallem said that the Geneva conference can produce a political program and working document that would be put to popular referendum so that the Syrian people can decide upon their future. He noted that any solution produced at the conference that was not accepted by the Syrian people cannot be applied.
He also said that the conference's ability to find a solution depends on the participants and whether they are sincere in seeking a solution. He said the government is prepared to hold dialogue with licensed opposition parties in Syria and resolve any issues between them, leading to a national unity government.
Moallem said that the West is relying on the "Doha coalition" which has failed in the eyes of Syrians, after they demanded the U.S. wage aggression against Syria. He wondered what one should call a group created in Doha which calls for an attacking on its own people and which some sides want to present as the sole representative of the opposition.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
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