By Mohamed Sheikh Yusuf and Mohamed Misto
GENEVA
The head of the opposition delegation at Syria peace talks in Geneva, Nasr al-Hariri, said that regime proposals for establishing a national unity government during a sought-for transition period did not have any international reference.
Speaking in an exclusive interview with Anadolu Agency, al-Hariri said the opposition would respond this week to ideas proposed by UN Special Envoy Staffan de Mistura.
“We are serious about reaching a political solution,” al-Hariri said on the sidelines of the talks in Geneva.
“The negotiating delegation does not seek power,” he said. “We simply want to establish a basis for peace in Syria through a just political solution.”
At a meeting with de Mistura, members of the opposition delegation received a document they described as “procedural”.
Al-Hariri said talks with the UN envoy had tackled a host of issues, including means of translating UN resolution 2254 into a roadmap for Syria’s political future.
“Our goal is to settle on a clear agenda with a view to achieving transition,” he said.
“At past Geneva negotiations, there was disagreement over the agenda,” he noted.
“In 2014, the regime did not talk about terrorism, which it created in order to circumvent the people's demands,” he asserted, “while 2016 talks in Geneva revolved largely around papers, principles and procedural rules.”
“We have some reservations about the agenda of talks, which we will convey to de Mistura,” al-Hariri said. “But when the first point is transition and transitional rule, I think this is a positive sign.”
Political transition
Al-Hariri said his negotiating team was currently assessing proposals made by de Mistura.
“But we need several more sessions with the UN envoy and his team in order to address specific issues,” he said.
Al-Hariri stressed that political transition was the first step towards a political solution.
“It is still too early to talk about a new constitution and elections,” he said.
“We want a new constitution -- along with free and fair elections -- based on international standards,” he added, “but this issue has its own clear spatial and temporal context.”
On the opposition’s position regarding the national unity government proposed by the Syrian regime and its allies, Hariri said the regime sought to keep “all the power in its hands”.
“The regime doesn’t want change in Syria,” he asserted.
“We did not call for a transitional ruling body,” he added. “We called for the implementation of UN Security Council resolutions and the Geneva Statement, which calls for a political transition that begins with the formation of a transitional ruling body that holds executive power through a mutual agreement mechanism in which the regime, the and other parties participate.”
“There is no international resolution, statement by an international group, Security Council resolution, or declaration by a particular state calling for a national unity government,” al-Hariri pointed out. “Only the regime has raised such a prospect.”
As for the Syrian opposition’s minimum expectations from the negotiations, al-Hariri said: “The most I can hope for is to reach a political solution as soon as possible.”
“If we can reach a joint understanding with the UN envoy regarding our methods and agenda -- which we could begin with in the next round of talks -- I think this would be positive,” he said.
Iran
Al-Hariri stressed that the Syrian regime had “no interest” in discussing transition, a new constitution or fresh elections.
“Assad has adopted a slogan since the revolution’s outset: ‘Assad, or we will burn down the country’,” he said.
As for Washington’s role in the negotiations, he stated: “The U.S. is a great power and a permanent member of the U.N. Security Council”.
But he added: “The Syrian people have paid a great price for the disastrous mistakes of the former Obama administration, which set ‘red lines’ and then allowed the regime to exceed them and allowed Iran to intervene in Syria.”
He also urged Washington to take the lead in ending Iran’s “diabolical role” in the region and put Iranian Revolutionary Guards-affiliated militias on its list of terrorist entities.
“The Syrian opposition presents itself as a real and effective partner in fighting terrorism,” he said.
On the Free Syrian Army (FSA)’s recent military gains -- with Turkish support -- in the northern city of Al-Bab, al-Hariri said these served to enhance the opposition’s bargaining position at the talks.
“They also raise the morale of the fighters on the ground and the Syrian people in general, as liberated areas will be ready to welcome refugees,” he said.
Al-Hariri also vowed to pursue the ongoing struggle against the Assad regime.
“We hope the negotiations will not hit a dead-end,” he said. “If that happens, it won’t be because of us.”
He went on to dismiss claims that the regime’s recent military gains would affect ongoing talks in Geneva.
“The regime isn’t making any progress on the ground,” he asserted. “Russian and international pressure were the main reasons for its participation in the talks in Astana and Geneva.”
