The opposition’s High Negotiations Committee (HNC) officially announced its vision for a political transition in Syria at a meeting of foreign ministers of the Friends of Syria Group in London on Wednesday. The meeting was held at the invitation of the British Foreign Secretary Boris Johnson.
General-coordinator of the HNC Riyad Hijab stressed that it is not possible to address the Syrian crisis in isolation of regional developments, pointing out that the survival of repressive regimes poses a great risk to global security.
The opposition’s vision included addressing the various social issues through launching a national dialogue and working to ensure the return of refugees and displaced people to their homes. The vision laid out constitutional and legal measures to guarantee the rights of all Syrian citizens as well as to ensure that Syrian women have their full rights and can contribute to all state institutions and the decision-making process.
In order to address these challenges, Hijab indicated that the HNC has taken a strategic decision to continue with the peace process, and that it has worked on a vision for political transition beginning with the departure of Assad and his clique and the establishment of a transitional governing body with full executive powers. At this juncture, a democratic system that is inclusive and representative of all Syrians will be established based on the principles of citizenship, rule of law, independent judiciary, and freedom of the press.
Hijab emphasized that the Syrian people have the necessary expertise to develop standards and foundations for a political transition which will have a positive impact on future generations. He pointed out that a permanent constitution for the country will be adopted at the end of the transitional phase through initiating local, legislative and presidential elections.
This article was edited by The Syrian Observer. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
