The former Syrian Vice President, Abdel Halim Khaddam, has sent a letter to the Syrian opposition, urging them to boycott the Geneva 2 conference, citing concerns that their participation could lead to “dangerous ramifications.” He accused Russia and America of colluding to sustain President Bashar al-Assad’s regime and warned that armed organizations and the Free Army are determined to prevent Syria from experiencing another catastrophe similar to Palestine.
Khaddam, who defected from the regime in late 2005, a few months after the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri, stated, “The United States and Russia, the two major countries, have agreed to convene a conference in Geneva with the aim of finding a negotiated solution to Syria’s bloody crisis. However, they seem to have disregarded the immense bloodshed caused by the brutal aggression of an authoritarian regime led by the serial killer Bashar Al-Assad.”
Khaddam further asserted that the failure of the United States and Russia to demand Assad’s resignation demonstrates their disregard for the Syrian people’s aspirations for liberation, regime change, and justice for the perpetrators of violence.
He emphasized, “The participation of the National Coalition or any Syrian opposition party will result in grave consequences that will only exacerbate the situation. The opposition parties must recognize that their objectives align poorly with what the Syrian people aspire to achieve. This is because the sponsoring countries of the conference have chosen not to overthrow the regime but to involve some opposition factions.”