Syrian Opposition: No Negotiations before Delivery of Humanitarian Demands

Beirut- The Syrian Opposition currently awaits in anticipation the outcome of both the deliberations conducted by the U.N. special envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura and the results of the foreign ministers of the Group of Friends of the Syrian People meeting. However, the opposition kept its announcement on its decision to withhold its contribution to the upcoming peace talks’ sessions, which are to start as of the first weekend of May.

Unless humanitarian proceedings begin taking place, such as breaking besiegement, delivering relief, freeing prisoners held in regime confinement and sustaining the cessation of hostilities, the opposition will keep out from participating at the negotiations.

High Negotiation Committee (HNC) Spokesperson Salem al-Meslet said that “principal issues should be put first, which are a true pointer for returning to the negotiations. If no progress is registered concerning the prisoners case, besieged areas, truce and regime crimes, the negotiations then will be obstructed.”

Deputy President of the opposition’s delegation and HNC member George Sabra told Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper that Moscow is pushing forward with its agenda, planning to unite the Syrian Opposition’s representation into a single delegation comprising 15 members, most of which evidently belong to the President Bashar Al-Assad regime. Russian attempts have not ceased ever since the beginning of the negotiations.

They look forward to take advantage of the current suspension of the peace talks, as to present a new opposition’s delegation which is fabricated to their content, Sabra added.

The HNC blames U.S.-Gulf deliberations for creating a space for a new role for the U.S. in front of Russia, and requests that Washington moves for plan B, previously mentioned by U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry.

Plan B presents full support to the people of Syria and the revolution, by providing effective weapons for self-defense.

Ceasefire no longer efficiently exists, the Syrian Opposition pointed out.

Sabra clarified, saying “the Russians carry on with their attempts to forge the will of the Syrian people and purposefully hamper the negotiations through dividing the delegations which they wish to participate at the negotiations.”

Syrian Opposition: No Negotiations before Delivery of Humanitarian Demands