CAIRO (AA) - September 24, 2012 - The Syrian National Block, one made up of liberals, fundamentalists, leftists and nationalists, on Monday officially announced their establishment as a new formation within the Syrian opposition.
In an exclusive interview with the Anadolu Agency (AA), the founding chairman of the Syrian National Block, Majid Hamdun stressed that their primary aim was to topple the Bashar al-Assad regime.
"We will not be in a competition with the Syrian National Council (SNC). The SNC was made up of alliances of groups. The National Block was made possible by the alliance of individuals. The political arena is open to all Syrians. We will cooperate with the SNC in this context. We have a common goal with the SNC: toppling the Assad regime," Hamdun noted.
Asked about the Syrian administration during the transitional process after Assad, Hamdun underlined that "it would not matter whether it was the National Block or SNC in power."
"The SNC does not view itself as the single and only representative of the Syrian people," Hamdun expressed.
"Ideologic disagreements must be eradicated. We have to end ideologic quarrels. We must let the Syrian people decide who would represent them," Hamdun stated.
-"We are against ethnic and religious discrimination"-
"The Syrian regime implements a policy of fear against Islamic movements. As the Syrian National Bloc, we are against such policies. The four basic trends that make up Syria, Islamists, liberals, leftists and nationalists, are within our bloc. It is among our aims to facilitate closer relations between the four trends," Hamdun said.
"All disputes in Cairo meetings on Syria were provocative. If a side puts forward certain conditions before dialogue begins, such attitude shows they have nothing to do with negotiations," Hamdun noted.
Touching on the demands of Syrian Kurds, Hamdun said that they were against all ethnic and religious discrimination.
"We support the idea of Kurds speaking their mother tongue and publishing news in the Kurdish language. However, such acts must take place under the roof of the Syrian government," Hamdun underlined.
"We do not find right an administration in Syria based on a sect or religion. Syria had a multi-party system in the 1950s. We may pay attention to the Constitution of 1950 during the transitional process," Hamdun said.
"As the Syrian National Bloc, we are against all forms of foreign military intervention in Syria. Those who wish for a military intervention are traitors," Hamdun stated.
"We expect the international community to increase political, diplomatic, and economic pressure on the Syrian regime. As a bloc, we will embrace peaceful protests and culture of activities. We will struggle against the Syrian regime by these means," Hamdun also said.
Reporting by Hazim Bedr
