President of the Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC), Salem al-Meslet met with the Deputy Foreign Minister and Head of the Ukrainian delegation Emine Dzhaparova on the sidelines of the 20th version of the Doha Forum which concluded on Sunday.
Meslet affirmed that the Syrian people stand in solidarity with the Ukrainian people in the face of the brutal Russian aggression and support Ukraine’s independence and territorial integrity.
He pointed out that the Syrian people refuse to participate in Putin’s crimes in Ukraine, adding that Assad has become one of Putin’s puppets as he plans to send mercenaries to support the Russian president in his brutal war on Ukraine.
Meslet pointed out that more than anyone else, the Syrian people feel the suffering of the Ukrainian people, pointing out that Russian warplanes have committed in Syria the same crimes they are committing now in Ukraine where they are bombing cities, residential areas, markets, and infrastructure.
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Moreover, Meslet stressed that the world’s silence about Putin’s crimes in Syria proved very costly as he stressed the need to hold him and Assad accountable for the war crimes they are committing against innocent civilians.
For her part, the Ukrainian Deputy Foreign Minister stressed that Ukraine appreciates the Syrian people’s demonstration of solidarity with them in this ordeal.
She pointed out that Russia’s propaganda machine is spreading disinformation in an attempt to justify its crimes against civilians, just as it did previously in Syria to justify its support for the Assad regime.
Dzhaparova stressed the importance of exploiting these rare and historic moments in which the world witnesses the unification of stances against Putin’s crimes.
Intensive Meetings
Meslet held a number of meetings on the sidelines of the 20th version of the Doha Forum which concluded on Sunday. He stressed that the Syrian people still aspire to achieve freedom, dignity, and democracy, calling on everyone to push the political process forward so as to implement all relevant UN resolutions on Syria.
Meslet met with the Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs of the State of Qatar Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdul Rahman Al Thani, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah Al Saud, the Libyan Minister of Foreign Affairs Najla Mangoush, the Jordanian Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs Ayman Safadi Algerian Foreign Minister Ramtane Lamamra, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fouad Hussein, and Egyptian Ambassador to Doha Amr El-Sherbini.
Meslet also met with a number of senior Turkish officials, including Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu, Turkish Defense Minister Hulusi Akar, Turkish presidential spokesperson Dr. Ibrahim Kalin, and Turkish Ambassador to Doha Mustafa Kokso.
Moreover, Meslet met with EU foreign policy chief Josep Borrell, Ukraine’s Deputy Foreign Minister Emine Dzhaparova, US Senator Lindsey Graham, former US envoys to Syria James Jeffrey and Joel Rayburn, French Ambassador to Doha Jean-Baptiste Faivre, and British Ambassador to Doha John Wilkes.
The opposition president also met with the former President of the Syrian Negotiations Commission Riad Hijab, former SOC President Muaz al-Khatib, the Director of the Center for Conflict and Humanitarian Studies Dr. Sultan Barakat, members of the Syrian community in Doha, and directors of international and Arab research centers.
This article was 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.
