Member of the Syrian High Negotiations Committee (HNC) and chairman of the National Coordination Committee Hassan Abdul Azim said that the negotiation delegation has overcome in its new form two obstacles that were hindering the launch of direct negotiations with the regime in the past two years.
It nullified regime excuses on the absence of one opposition delegation, and it implemented a paragraph in resolution 2254 regarding participation of the Cairo and Moscow platforms.
The Geneva talks that kick off on Tuesday are going to be more serious, committed and cohesive, said Abdul Azim.
“Abusing standards is a national treason and not a point of view,” he added, while stressing that demanding a transition phase without regime head Bashar Assad and establishing a ruling authority of full powers are not up for debate.
Abdul Azim told Asharq Al-Awsat that accepting the political process through direct negotiations, and preparing necessary conditions to achieve it are national principles. Hindering the political process only serves the regime and prolongs the agony of the Syrian people, he continued.
He noted that the new negotiation authority derives its power in current negotiations from the fact that it is not limited to the opposition and revolution forces that were produced from the first Riyadh conference, but it includes representatives from the Cairo and Moscow platforms.
Abdul Azim stated that the formation of the new negotiation delegation has thwarted any attempt to stage a national congress called for by an international side or allies of the regime. Such a congress would have only achieved partial reforms under the regime and would not change the reality that pushed the Syrian people to revolt as part of the Arab Spring in Tunisia, Egypt and others.
The post-Riyadh conference phase will not be the same as the one before it, he stated, while confirming that the negotiation delegation is part of the HNC and not an independent entity as was the case in the past two years.
