Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said Tuesday that the Syrian delegation will attend the international conference on Syria, dubbed “Geneva II” in order to serve the Syrian state and people.
“We won’t allow any U.S., Saudi or Turkish agenda to pass in the conference,” Zoubi said.
At a press conference on Tuesday, Zoubi said that inter-Syrian dialogue inside the country will take place, whether it originates in Geneva II or not, and that if the opposition and its supporters abroad abort the conference, then dialogue will take place among Syrians in Syria itself.
The minister advised the opposition and everyone else to read the first Geneva I communiqué in a political and sensible manner, stressing that Geneva II must result in accord and an agreement based on combating terrorism.
“We understand that in the future there will be an expanded government in Syria,” Zoubi said, but said that there will not be a transitional governing body like in Iraq, built upon the U.S. invasion.
He called on international lawyers to provide any text that contains anything like the term "transitional government body” within a U.N. framework and within international law.
Zoubi confirmed that any agreement reached at Geneva II will be put to referendum by the Syrian people and if not approved, it will be meaningless and will not be implemented. He said the Syrian people will decide upon the country's political future.
The Minister said that those in the opposition who think that they can change anything on the ground using foreign funds and weapons are “delusional” and must reassess themselves. He demanded that the Turkish government completely close its borders to terrorists, expel them from its land and stop all logistic and financial support to them.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
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