Micheal Kilo, the new member of the Syrian National Coalition has repeated his belief that the recent expansion of the group is a necessary expression of the Syrian national will.
In a special interview with Zaman al-Wasl, Kilo said he would quit from the coalition if it fails to remain independent in its policies and decisions.
He also pointed out that the position of president in the Coalition is not a priority and repeated that he has no ambitions to hold it. He said the work on the ground is more important than any of the body's internal business.
"I call on all parties to work seriously and collectively for the success of the Coalition's work," Kilo said, revealing that he would propose a Charter of National Action for the group, expressing his hope that it would be adopted, but without disclosing details.
The head of the Democratic Front, which recently joined the coalition, Kilo also criticized those that accuse him of creating a bloc of seculars and Alawites within the coalition. He said that as an educator and dissident, he will not burn himself by engaging in sectarianism or positioning.
Kilo explained his position regarding his last visit to Saudi Arabia, after he was accused by his opponents of nurturing contacts with the Kingdom.
"I am not Saudi Arabia's candidate. I am working for Syria and for the Syrian people. I was the one who initiated the visit to Saudi Arabia and the meeting with the chief of the Saudi Intelligence Prince Bandar bin Sultan," he said.
Coalition priorities following the political and military expansion, Kilo said, should be about organizing the political positions for all members on the basis of indisputable consensus, in the context of a binding action plan, under the Charter that will connect political and military resistance forces, especially in the Free Syrian Army," he said
"This is so we can have the required leadership to manage Syria during the transitional period."
Kilo outlined his position on the armed opposition, especially the extremist battalions on the ground.
"Whether the armed opposition is radical or moderate, it is important not to be dragged into attempts to divide the opposition. [We need to] offer the world sufficient guarantees, on both the political and military fronts that the situation was and will remain under control and that Syria will not be taken over by extremists, because we know how to deal with them, not necessarily by force," he said.
Speaking about the Qusair battle, Kilo said while it was very important, it was not articulated when all Syrians are fighting against the regime.
"So, we can overcome it,' he said.
On the so-called Alawite and Kurdish states, Kilo said he didn’t believe there would be a partition.
"This option has not yet been decided by the Syrians, despite the tragedies, so I don't think that the division is a strong possibility. It is a danger, driven by the Assad Regime, but Syrians everywhere are against it."
In his characterization of the Syrian crisis, Kilo said it is wrong to limit the crisis to a fight against Bashar Assad as a person, pointing out that it is also a crisis of a nation, society and authority.
"We have to overcome successfully, as soon as possible, to build a democratic Syria on the ruins of the current regime," Kilo said.
Finally, regarding Geneva 2, Kilo said he supports the idea if there are real guarantees of a transfer of power, in accordance with the June 2011 Geneva 1 agreement, that outlined an end to the authoritarian regime and the bloodshed.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
......
