By Vestnik Kavkaza
The UN is conducting urgent intensive consultations on the participation of Iran and the Syrian opposition in the international conference on Syria, Geneva-2, which is scheduled for tomorrow. The National Coalition of Revolutionary and Opposition Forces of Syria made an ultimatum to the UN Secretary General, demanding cancelation of Iran’s invitation to the meeting in Switzerland.
Yesterday representatives of the Syrian opposition held a press conference in Moscow. Kadri Jamil, Member of the Board of the People’s Front for Changes and Liberation and the Coalition of Forces for Peaceful Changes, stated: “Many people didn’t want the conference in Geneva to take place. When not much time was left before the conference, they began to express a pessimistic attitude, and tried to break it up. Notwithstanding, who will take part in it, the conference should be responsible for liquidation of the awful humanitarian crisis which Syria is suffering.
First of all, the Geneva conference should halt foreign interference, especially military interference, into the internal affairs of Syria.” Kadri Jamal is sure that “if extremists are not stopped here, the whole region will be under great threat in the near future – the Middle East, south of Europe, south of Russia, and other territories. The conference in Geneva should cease foreign interference, it will contribute to stop of violence inside the country and settlement of the humanitarian crisis, helping those who suffer in Syria.”
“A political settlement can be reached only inside the country, between Syrian forces. A dialogue should take place only between the Syrians. The Syrians should reach a political settlement through their internal forces without interference of non-regional states,” Kadri Jamil says.
He noted that the opposition is united in resistance to the regime, but there are various tendencies in it, various movements and positions: “We need a consent, consensus between various sides of the opposition. And it is unacceptable, when one person decides for all others. The Syrian people urge the international society to settle the humanitarian disaster.”
Alya Arafat, Secretary of People’s Will Party, states that “forces of the past” are acting in Syria; they are not able to resolve the current crisis, leading the country to a dead-lock. Simultaneously, a new political space is being formed. “What is going on in the north of Syria, i.e. the struggle between the so-called Islamic Front and other organizations? Some Western sources say that the Islamic Front is fighting against terrorism. It is not true. The fighting groups are almost similar in their mentality, contacts, and methods. They have nothing in common with a political settlement. It is impossible to defeat terrorism without uniting the Syrians on the ground of a political settlement. The Geneva conference should attract all supporters of the struggle against terrorism and peaceful settlement. On the other hand, the struggle against terrorism cannot be provided without minimal mutual understanding.”
At the same time, yesterday the head of the Russian Ministry for Foreign Affairs Sergey Lavrov voiced the position of Moscow on Iran’s participation in Geneva-2: “Today about 40 states are invited to the conference, including Australia, Mexico, the Republic of Korea, Brazil, India, Indonesia. If Iran is absent in the list, it will be looks like profanation. It would be irresponsible to fail to invite those forces which are directly influence on the settlement of the situation in Syria.”
