Officials from the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) went on an official visit to the United States to discuss the Syrian crisis. This happens after the very intense diplomatic activities by the Syrian regime at the 77th UN General Assembly.
SOC Media Department
The official media department of the Opposition coalition has said that a delegation of the SOC and the Syrian Negotiations Commission (SNC) met the European Union Special Representative for the Middle East Peace Process, Sven Koopmans, and discussed with him the latest field and political developments in Syria on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York.
The delegation stressed the important role of the European Union in supporting the political transition in Syria in accordance with UN resolutions, especially the Geneva Communique of 2012 and UN Resolutions 2118 and 2254. They praised the role of the EU countries and their principled positions in supporting the Syrian people.
For his part, Mr. Koopmans stressed that despite the priority being now given to the Ukrainian crisis, Syrian still gets the attention of the European Union. He reiterated that there is no change in the EU’s policy towards Syria or in the support for the cause of the Syrian people.
Mr. Koopmans pointed out that the European Union is well informed of the humanitarian situation in Syria and the urgent need for humanitarian aid. He stressed that the EU will continue to send humanitarian aid and seek the renewal of the UN resolution for the cross-border delivery of humanitarian aid.
Still according to the Official SOC agency, the delegation also met the Deputy Director-General and Head of the Middle East and North Africa Department at the Swedish Mission to the United Nations, Magnus Hellgren, and discussed with him the latest field and political developments in Syria on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly in New York. Hellgren reaffirmed Sweden’s belief that there should be a sustainable political process, reasserting his country’s support for the UN efforts to implement UN Resolution 2254.
Turkish ambassador and USAID
Earlier, the opposition website Syria TV had reported that the delegation began on Wednesday a visit to Washington, D.C., after a series of meetings held on the sidelines of the 77th session of the United Nations General Assembly. It witnessed a formal meeting, considered the first since 2014, with the Secretary-General of the United Nations and the Special Group on the Syrian issue, along with several representatives of Western countries for Syria and the Middle East. Confidential sources told Syria TV that the opposition delegation, consisting of the head of the National Coalition Salem al-Meslet, and several members of the political body of the coalition, will hold a series of meetings in the U.S. capital ending next Friday
According to the sources, the opposition delegation held an extensive meeting with the Turkish ambassador, Hasan Murat Mercan, in Washington. The schedule of Wednesday’s meetings includes a meeting with the United States Agency for International Development (USAID) (which is working to restore basic services, economic opportunities, and comprehensive governance). The meeting will be devoted to discussing mechanisms for reaching U.S. support to those in need in Syria and ensuring stability in areas outside the control of the Syrian regime, especially in the northwest of the country.\
UN Secretary-General
According to Nedaa Post, a meeting with the UN officials was held on Tuesday. During a meeting with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UN envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen, the opposition delegation stressed the importance of the role of the United Nations and the Special Envoy to Syria. The delegation said that their task is to find mechanisms and steps to implement international resolutions, especially UN Resolution 2254. The delegation added that both parties should “not enter into details that are far from the political transition, which is the basis of the solution.”
According to Jamous, the delegation assured Guterres that the continuation of the current situation and the transformation of the Syrian issue to be based on humanitarian considerations only will not contribute to ending the Syrian tragedy. This approach will not lead to a solution but instead will lead to “more oppression and drowning at sea.”
Jamous added: “Our position is clear: there will be no stability in Syria without a real and just solution that preserves the lives and dignity of Syrians and returns them to their areas of origin.”
The delegation also stressed the need to establish an independent mechanism for the file of detainees and missing persons in Syria. This mechanism must achieve justice and proper accountability. “The presence of thousands of missing persons in the prisons and detention centers of the Assad regime imposes obligations on the United Nations based on its humanitarian and moral duty.”
The opposition delegation also warned of the danger of the Assad regime’s seizure of humanitarian aid and early recovery projects. It stressed that the United Nations must oversee the equitable distribution of this aid in order for all Syrians across the country to benefit from it.
