Khaddam urges Syrian opposition to boycott Geneva talks, accuses Russia and U.S. of maintaing Assad’s rule
Khaddam urges the Syrian opposition to boycott the Geneva talks and accuses Russia and America of preserving Assad's rule. Former Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam called on the Syrian opposition to boycott the upcoming Geneva 2 peace conference, warning that its participation would lead to serious repercussions. Khaddam also accused Russia and the United States of seeking to keep Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in power, stressing that the local armed factions and the Free Army would not allow a Syrian catastrophe similar to the one reminiscent of Palestine to occur.
Khaddam said that Russia and America sought to hold a peace conference in order to negotiate a solution that would end the bloody crisis taking place in Syria, regardless of the bloodshed caused by a tyrannical regime led by the “killer” Bashar al-Assad. The dissident official accused the world's two superpowers of ignoring the aspirations and goals of the Syrian people for liberation, overthrowing the regime, and holding the killers accountable for their sins. He also warned that the situation would deteriorate if the Syrian National Coalition, or any other opposition faction, participated in the Geneva conference. He pointed out, "The opposition factions must realize that they will fail to achieve the aspirations of the Syrian people, as the two countries sponsoring the conference agreed not to overthrow the regime, but rather to integrate the opposition."
Khaddam said in a message to the Syrian people, on Wednesday, a copy of which was received by United Press International, “The participation of the National Coalition or any Syrian party in the name of the opposition will have dangerous repercussions that lead to further complicating the situation in Syria.”
He warned, “Any participation that goes beyond the goals of the revolution and its struggle for change and building a democratic civil state in which citizens have equal rights and duties will be extremely dangerous.”
Khaddam added, “The opposition parties wishing to participate in the Geneva 2 conference will not be able to achieve what the Syrians aspire to, because the decision of the two countries sponsoring the conference is not to overthrow the regime, but rather to have some opponents participate in the government.”
He accused Russia and the United States of “ignoring the goals of the Syrian people for liberation, overthrowing the regime, and holding the perpetrators of murder, genocide, and humiliation accountable.”
Khaddam called on the Syrian opposition to “work to hold a comprehensive national conference for all Syrian opposition parties committed to working to overthrow the regime, in order to unify forces, efforts and goals on the basis of saving Syria, protecting its people, overthrowing the regime, and building authority that comes from the people.”
