Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir stressed on Wednesday that Riyadh stands by the Syrian people and its aspiration to end their country’s conflict.
He said during the opening of the Riyadh-hosted Second Expanded Syrian Opposition meeting that there can be no solution to the Syrian crisis without Syrian consensus that would be based on the Geneva 1 declaration and United Nations Security Council resolution 2254.
Saudi Arabia stands by the Syrian people as it has always done so that they can reach a fair solution, he added before the participating delegations at the conference.
United Nations special envoy to Syria Staffan de Mistura was also present at the meeting.
Jubeir noted that the conference was being held amid international consensus over the need for a political settlement in Syria.
Addressing the Syrian participants, the minister said: “Today, you have a historic responsibility to end the crisis that has exhausted the people and reach a solution and transition to a new future.”
“Syrian people all over the world are looking hopefully at you and are eager for you to achieve tangible results to meet their aspirations,” he added.
For his part, de Mistura said that Syria’s future should be a priority and a political solution based on Security Council resolutions is necessary.
He revealed that the conference will set the framework for the political process in Syria, stressing: “We want a strong opposition delegation in Geneva.”
This delegation should include representatives from all Syrian factions, he urged.
The three-day Riyadh talks are aimed at forming a united opposition delegation that would head to the November 28 Geneva negotiations that are sponsored by the UN.
Over 140 figures, representing various political and military powers, are present in Riyadh.
They will seek to coordinate their stance before a Sochi meeting that was called for by Russian President Vladimir Putin as part of a political initiative to address the post-ISIS phase in Syria.
No date has been set yet for the Syrian dialogue congress.
