President of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, H E Salem Al Meslet, addressing a press reference held at the Syrian embassy in Doha, yesterday. PIC by Abdul Basit
President of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, H E Salem Al Meslet, has valued and lauded Qatar’s continuous political and humanitarian support for Syrian people, stressing that he held important talks in Doha.
Al Meslet, addressing a press conference yesterday at the Syrian embassy, said that Deputy Prime Minister and Minister of Foreign Affairs, H E Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, has assured Qatar’s support to Syrian people and further humanitarian aid for Syria.
He also said that Qatar affirmed its rejection of normalising relations with the Syrian regime and necessity of a political solution to the crisis.
“We have seen from the Qatari brothers their firmness while supporting the Syrian cause and the Syrian people, and our meeting with Qatari officials was distinctive and positive,” he said.
Salem Al Meslet also emphasised that continuous consultation with Doha is important.
“We need our brothers and listen to their point of view, and we need to search for and speed up finding a solution in order to end the Syrian suffering,” said Al Meslet.
“Our discussion in Doha was based on our commitment to a political solution to the crisis, as well as the humanitarian situation inside Syria,” he added.
Al Meslet said that his delegation met with UN Special Envoy to Syria, Geir O. Pedersen, and had positive, encouraging discussion. Also Chargé d’Affairs at the US Embassy, H E Natalie Baker, has confirmed US position in rejecting normalisation with the Syrian regime and continuation of imposed sanctions, he said.
In reply to a question, Al Meslet said that the trilateral Qatar-Russia-Turkey coalition that was established in Doha last year has made some progress while working to solve the crisis.
On the progress made by the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces over the past 10 years, Al Meslet said, “The National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces is working hard in cooperation with various parties in Syria and abroad to ease the sufferings and lift the siege imposed by the Syrian regime on various areas.”
He added that the coalition took many steps to resolve the crisis with support from more than 110 countries.
He stated that the coalition accomplished its strategic vision, established its statute, defined its comprehensive national discourse, and strengthened its internal and external relations, warning that any support provided to the Syrian regime is support for the “terrorist” militias and extremist groups.
Al Meslet added that the Syrian people suffer in all aspects of life including being deprived of education, health, food and other basic needs, and they face issues such as asylum, displacement and arrest, and indicated that the coalition is working to alleviate this suffering for the people, and is struggling for it in cooperation with the relevant parties at home and abroad. He also expressed his rejection of any Arab effort to normalise ties with the Syrian regime saying, “The regime’s return to the Arab League and any attempt to normalise relations with the regime is a reward for the regime for its crimes.”
Al Meslet called on the international community to exert pressure on the regime to provide concrete steps to reach a solution in a way that ends the suffering of the Syrian people as a whole. “We hope to see soon Syria governed by people elected by the people,” he said.
