SOHR exclusive | “Syrian opposition will not accept reconciliation with regime after having committed this genocide,” says Ahmad Tu’mah
SNC leader: “Our relation with Turkey is strong and the task of Pedersen is to implement international resolutions, and not to announce new procedures.”
The National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces is seeking to exert pressure on the international community to implement international resolutions, mainly the Resolution No. 2254, which can potentially revive the Syrians’ ambition to reach a democratic state.
In an exclusive interview with SOHR, the leader in the Syrian National Coalition (SNC), Ahmad Tu’mah sees that the coalition rejects any kind of pressure driving the political process away from the implementation of the international resolutions, referring that the opposition will not accept, as it has publicly expressed, the proposed reconciliation with Al-Assad’s regime after the significant destruction it has caused.
Q: There are talks about changing the Turkish stance towards the Syrian crisis, how can you, at the coalition, see this change?
A: We have not noticed any essential changes in the Turkish stance towards the Syrian crisis. Turkey’s stance is stable, and we are allies and we agree on the importance of the implementation of the UN Resolution No. 2254 which ensures a political transition of power in Syria. We can not discuss any other solutions but this political one, and we address, with our Turkish brothers, several cases relating that resolution which the United Nation is eager to implement. Practically, we have not noticed any change leading to another path. Although the Syrian regime continues dispersing the efforts of the negotiation committee, our Turkish ally and we insist on continuing the path which we had started for breaking the deadlock of the Syrian crisis in accordance with the announced UN resolutions. However, the Syrian regime refuses to comply with these resolutions.
A political transition can be achieved only when there is a will by international powers which have to keep aside all efforts attempting to impede the political process.
Q: May the coalition accept the rehabilitation of the Syrian regime, under Turkish-Russian-Iranian understandings?
A: The opposition coalition will never accept any international understandings leading to the rehabilitation of the Syrian regime after all destruction it has caused in Syria. We, at the coalition, insist on the implementation of the resolutions issued by the UN Security Council and respecting the political terms mentioned in the Resolution No. 2254 regarding the bringing of justice and holding accountable everyone aided and abetted crimes against Syrian people. Our stance, which supports the Syrian Revolution, remains unchanged, and nobody can exert pressure on us to change our stance towards the Syrian crisis. We will continue our struggle until the Syrian people regain its freedom and its right to live in a democratic and free country, after the toppling of the tyrannical regime.
Q: What are the most prominent mistakes made by the opposition, and can these mistakes be handled?
A: The Syrian opposition is restricted by limited capabilities and attempted to be flexible as possible, and it accepted positive proposals suggested by the international community and UN. When the Declaration of Geneva 1 was suggested, we found that some of its terms serve our revolution, so we agreed on and supported it, especially since the Resolution No. 2254 ensures a simple political transition, and we insist on implementing it. We will never accept another solution.
The opposition continues it work according to limited capabilities, and everyone knows that the international community turned to managing the crisis, after the resignation of Lakhdar Brahimi who found extreme difficulty to implement the political settlement, because of the Syrian regime’s intransigence. Through our participation in the political process, we installed a collection of values, the most prominent of which is manifested in maintaining the Syrian crisis on the table of negotiations all the time. In addition, we refused all proposals and demands contravening the Syrians’ will, as well as exerting pressures during meetings with the international community and all actors to achieve peace and smooth transition of power.
Q: Are there any solution looming to break the deadlock in Syria?
A: Currently, no workable solution looms on the horizon to reach a political settlement in Syria in accordance with the International Resolution No. 2254. The procedures proposed today are manifested in the so-called “measures to build trust,” or a “more for more” policy. Until now, we have had no idea about this policy, and in the incoming meetings with the international community or the United Nations Special Envoy for Syria, we will try to understand more details about this policy, so that we can evaluate it. However, the initial official stance by the national coalition rejects the “more for more” policy. We demand Mr. Pedersen implement the international resolutions, and we would like to emphasis that his task is manifested in focusing his efforts to implement the demand for which he was assigned as a Special Envoy for Syria, and not to turning to other procedures.
Q: Are you open to reconcile with the Syrian regime, after making concessions by both sides?
A: As a unified political body comprising almost all opposition parties, the coalition will never accept a reconciliation with the regime after all destruction, killing, displacement, humiliation and violations it has caused and committed. After genocides which have been committed by Al-Assad’s regime, we must not talk about reconciliations.