On Tuesday, A Syrian opposition delegation met with UN Secretary-General António Guterres and UN envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen on the sidelines of the United Nations General Assembly, held in New York City.
The opposition delegation included the head of the Syrian Opposition Coalition, Salem al-Maslat, the head of the negotiating body, Badr Jamous, the co-chair of the Constitutional Committee, Hadi al-Bahra, and the head of the interim government, Abdul Rahman Mustafa.
In a tweet, Jamous said that the talk “focused on the main issue facing the Syrian people, which is to find a real political solution that ends the suffering of Syrians and leads them to a safe country.”
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During the meeting, 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.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.