Shaaban: Thursday’s Discussion Will Focus on Terrorism Issue

Geneva (ST)-Presidential Political and Media Advisor Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban said that Thursday’s talks between the Syrian Arab Republic delegation and the coalition delegation of the so-called “opposition” will deal with terrorism, as UN Envoy to Syria Lakhdar Brahimi has become convinced that we must primarily discuss the issue of stopping terrorism.

In statements to the reporters on Wednesday, Shaaban said that the coalition delegation doesn’t want to discuss anything other than how to grip power, and this is what its allies want as well.

Dr. shaaban pointed out that that US Ambassador to Damascus Robert Ford stated yesterday that he leads the coalition delegation after he was leading it secretly.

The coalition delegation doesn’t care about Geneva 1 communiqué nor about Syria; all they care about is reaching a transitional period to carry out what its supporters want, Shaaban said, adding that the coalition delegation claims to represent part of the Syrian people, while in fact it only represents foreign interests adversary to Syria and its people.

 Shaaban wondered, “can we imagine that there are Syrians who refuse to condemn the American intervention as well as sending weapons to criminals, while they don’t accept liberating the usurped territories, stopping terrorism and foreign intervention? It is difficult for a man to imagine this reality , but awfully it is so”. 

She reiterated that the Syrian Arab Republic delegation wants to stop terrorism, put an end to bloodshed, and terminate the crisis and the tragedy facing the Syrian people due to foreign intervention.

Shaaban stated that the morning session on Wednesday was difficult, but the talks were positive, adding that the Syrian official delegation announced that there is no objection to discuss Geneva 1 communiqué item by item successively.

Shaaban clarified that Friday will be allocated to discuss the time of resuming the next sessions as we informed Brahimi that we will stay just for Friday, stressing that the Syrian government wants to see a diversified  Syrian opposition, namely the internal national opposition.  

In Response to a question about the US decision to arm the so- called “opposition”, Shaaban said that announcing this issue now while Geneva discussions are held, reflects the confusion of the American Administration because from one side it talks with Russia and wants to hold Geneva for solving the crisis in Syria, while from another angle it hampers this issue because announcing armament is a real and tangible obstruction to any political solution we aspire to achieve.

“Results of the Geneva conference will be put later to discussion between the Russians and Americans being the essential sponsors of the conference”, Shaaban said, hoping that the current meetings will positively affect the Syrian people and their interests. 

In Response to the question about the possibility of conducting Syrian-Syrian dialogue in Damascus instead of Geneva, Shaaban affirmed that this issue is the target of the Syrian government and when all opposition parties come and the real political dialogue begins, then it will be inevitable to convene in Damascus. 

O.Al-Mohammad