Al-Jaafari: All Backers of “al-Riyadh Opposition” Seek to Derail Intra-Syrian Dialogue

GENEVA-Head of the Syrian Arab Republic delegation to the intra-Syrian dialogue in Geneva Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari accused all backers of “al-Riyadh opposition” in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and Qatar of seeking to derail intra-Syrian dialogue in Geneva, after the opposition’s decision to suspend its participation in the dialogue sessions, SANA reported.

“There has been a decision in Saudi Arabia, Turkey and in Qatar to derail intra-Syrian dialogue,” al-Jaafari, said in an interview with al-Mayadeen channel Monday evening.

 “They do not want there to be a dialogue between Syrians, they want to make the Geneva negotiations fail.”

Al-Jaafari stressed that the opposition and the countries that support it are “annoyed because of the progress being achieved by the Syrian army on the ground”.

“Decision al-Riyadh opposition delegation to suspend its participation accusing the Syrian army of breaching the cessation of hostilities is a misleading and untrue allegation,” al-Jaafari said, adding: “Members of al-Riyadh opposition delegation yesterday called on their terrorists inside Syria to bombard the cities, to attack the Syrian army and to break the cessation of hostilities.

Al-Jaafari said that the resolution No. 2254 provides for wider representation of Syrian opposition groups in the intra-Syrian dialogue in Geneva, and it doesn’t stipulate that al-Riyadh delegation to monopolize the representation of Syrian opposition.

“Some al-Riyadh delegation members irresponsibly proposed the idea of disbanding the Syrian army similar to what happened in Libya, Iraq and Somalia since they lack political expertise and their leaders want to turn Syria into a failed state, a point we are aware of and therefore we tried to preserve all state institution not only the army,” al-Jaafari noted.

He added “When we say that we will not allow a constitutional vacuum it means that the army and all other state institutions should remain present and continue to perform their works till we reach an agreement with other opposition groups supposed to be national towards forming an expanded national government.

Syrian Presidency is an internal Syrian affair

Al-Jaafari stressed that the issue of Syrian Presidency is an internal Syrian affair and that neither the UN Security Council nor anybody else has relation to it,” noting that “We are here in Geneva for one sake that is to reach a national government through Syrian-Syrian accord without any Saudi, Turkish, Qatari, French, American or British interference.”

“We will form a national unity government including representatives of the current government  and the opposition as well as independent opposition members,” said al-Jaafari, welcoming  the national opposition’s joining the expanded national government which is the main objective of Geneva dialogue.”

Al-Jaafari said “We seek a strong, sovereign Syrian State respected by all people. We are not to distribute awards here and there. The powers of the President, the government and all institutions are still there. We don’t want a failed state, rather we want a state which preserves its institutions and upgrades them when necessary.”

Al-Jaafari reiterated the Syrian delegation has come to Geneva with great sense of responsibility and directions of the leadership and the government to participate in the intra-Syrian dialogue positively, usefully and fruitfully without any foreign intervention or preconditions.