Secretary-General of the Syrian Coalition Mohammed Yahya Maktabi stressed yesterday the need to separate between the humanitarian and political tracks of the Syrian conflict. He denounced using the lives of Syrian civilians as a bargaining chip to achieve political gains.
Maktabi emphasized that confidence-building measures are not a precondition for negotiations; they are provisions set out in UN Security Council resolutions, 2191, 2139, 2165 and 2254. The latest of these resolutions, UNSCR 2254, calls for immediate lifting of the siege on the besieged areas and allowing the introduction of aid.
Maktabi stressed the need for confidence-building measures before engaging in negotiations with the Assad regime. He said that when people starve to death in Syria, this shows the lack of international will to move towards a new political system in Syria based on justice and equality.
Maktabi concluded his remarks: “We are keen on and willing to make negotiations successful in order to bring about a political transition and establish a new political system for future Syria. However, prospects of a political solution are undermined by military escalation by Russia, the Iranian Revolutionary Guard and the rest of sectarian militias fighting alongside Assad.” (Source: Syrian Coalition)
