General Coordinator for the High Negotiations Committee Riad Hijab met with French President Emmanuel Macron in the Elysee Palace on Tuesday morning to discuss the opposition’s stance on a political solution in Syria.
In the meeting, Hijab reiterated the opposition's commitment to the political process and any agreement contributing to the implementation of U.N. resolutions and improving the humanitarian situation for the Syrian people.
In a press statement following the meetings, the Committee said that Hijab expressed his gratitude for France's support for the Syrian revolution and the rights of the Syrian people, adding that conversations touched on the Assad regime’s preparations for an escalatory military campaign.
The opposition leader warned that “the Assad regime and its allies are preparing for military escalation in different parts of Syria, especially near the Syrian-Iraqi border, in the southern region, and in the countryside of Aleppo and Hama, as well as seeking to undermine international agreements to end the fighting.”
Hijab called for an active European role in the political process aimed at resolving the conflict in Syria. He also stressed the need to lay out “a new strategy for the negotiating process, one which gives the Syrian people a glimmer of hope and alleviates their daily suffering,” said a statement from the Committee.
Macron’s office stated support for the U.N.-mediated Geneva peace talks to end the conflicts in Syria, stating: "The president of the republic recalled his personal commitment to the Syrian situation and his support for the Syrian opposition and a political transition in Syria."
Hijab also met with French Foreign Minister Jean Yves Odrian at the French Foreign Ministry on the same day.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
