Dirar to Rome meetings: Aid for all Syrians, putting foreign ISIS mercenaries before court is urgent

Riad Dirar confirmed that the Rome meeting will discuss ensuring that all Syrians access aid, opening the crossings or finding an alternative to it. He pointed out that the latest summits' weakened interest in the Syrian crisis may be due to the marginal value of Syria in Washington's priorities. He also called on the international community to include the issue of ISIS mercenaries at the Al-Hol camp to the files of the Syrian solution.

The United States of America is chairing a meeting on Syria on June 28, in the Italian capital, Rome, with the participation of major countries involved in the Syrian file, on the sidelines of the meeting of the Global Coalition to fight ISIS.

And the United States expanded the circle of the invitees to the meeting, to include the foreign ministers of the “Big Seven” and the “mini-group”, in addition to Turkey and Qatar, which are known for their negative role in Syria and the region in general, as international reports confirmed their support for the terrorist organizations. The UN envoy to Syria also participated in it. Geir Pedersen, to present two proposals, the first is the formation of an international-regional group of permanent members of the Security Council to discuss the Syrian file, and the second is to bring Russia and the United States closer together on Syria.

On this matter, our agency held a dialogue with the co-chair of the Syrian Democratic Council (SDC) Riad Dirar.

* The international mini-group is holding a meeting on Syria amid an intense international movement. How do you assess that and is anything expected from these meetings?

The small group, represented by the foreign ministers of Egypt, Germany, France, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, the United Kingdom, and the United States of America, is distinguished as one of the most important Western and Arab countries from which it hopes to facilitate a political solution in Syria and support post-war reconstruction. In its latest announcement, this group had to condemn the crimes committed in Syria, where hundreds of thousands of people have died, millions have been displaced, and the humanitarian situation has been exacerbated by the targeting of schools, hospitals and other civilian buildings.

They affirmed their sorrow at the failure of the Security Council to agree on the call to protect civilians, comply with the international humanitarian law, provide access to humanitarian services, and constantly call on them not to keep blind eye to any use of chemical weapons in Syria. They have always emphasized their continuation in the fight against terrorism and their constant endeavor to find a political solution in Syria.

This expanded conference is also, in my opinion, to address ensuring safe and unimpeded humanitarian access to all Syrians, opening crossings or finding an alternative to them, and not accepting any attempt to carry out deliberate demographic change.

Such positions define the direction of the conference's compass and add to it the quest to create a balance in the continuation of confronting terrorism and curbing the Russian solution through Astana, which divided the Syria into several areas to be singled out in returning them to the regime’s control once again. It is trying to return these lands under the label of the nominal legitimacy that the Russian is the only beneficiary of the results of such a solution.

* There is talk about the invitation of Turkey and Qatar. How do you evaluate this in light of their negative role in the Syrian crisis and region in general?

 Inviting Turkey and Qatar is aimed at cutting off the road to Moscow, which recently sought to make a deal to restore the Syrian regime to the Arab League through Turkey and Qatar. Therefore, their participation in the solution outside the framework of Astana, which no longer offers Turkey any addition, is tempting for Turkey, and is also a result of the destabilization of confidence between Moscow and Ankara. The invitation is an attempt to attract Turkey, which is trying to restore its relations with the United States and NATO again, and which is also trying to turn a page with Egypt and Saudi Arabia, which is facing Russian escalation because of the crossings.

This escalation is practiced through a policy of maximum pressure. Since the beginning of June, the fourth de-escalation zones in Idlib and its surroundings have been subjected to heavy bombardment and a military build-up on the ground. Russia has even brought new aircraft to Hmeimim, a form of escalation.

Qatar and Turkey have prominent influence in the Syrian event, and their invitation to Rome is to confront the Russian solution in Syria, which is based on a feverish pursuit for restoring the regime, without accounting for the decisions of the international community, manifested in Resolution 2254 in particular.

* Several meetings were held on Syria. What are the similarities between them, did they achieve anything for the Syrians, and do the Syrians still count on them?

There is a difference between the Astana process and the Mini-group that calls for the resumption of the Geneva process and putting the international resolutions in force in a way that achieves effective participation of the Syrians and pressures the Assad regime to participate more seriously in the activities of a political solution while condemning the crimes committed in Syria, where hundreds of thousands of people have died and millions have been displaced. They are working to provide access to humanitarian services as well as the fight against terrorism continues, considering that finding a political solution in Syria is crucial.

Therefore, we find that this group continues to support the Special Envoy of the Secretary-General of the United Nations to Syria to reach a political solution in line with UN Security Council Resolution 2254. Of course, they also call for the effective involvement of all Syrians in the political process and support for efforts aimed at releasing political prisoners as well as creating a safe environment and impartial will take the next steps of drafting a constitution for the country and holding fair, free, and credible elections under the supervision of the United Nations.

They also stress the importance of accountability in any efforts aimed at achieving a sustainable, comprehensive and peaceful solution to the conflict and support efforts to ensure that all perpetrators of violations of international humanitarian law and human rights are investigated and held accountable, including those responsible for humanitarian crimes, and most of all, it is a reason to advocate the current goal is to ensure safe and unhindered humanitarian access to all Syrians and to not accept any attempts at deliberate demographic change.

This path changed the path of Astana, which divided the country and changed the demographics of the regions and contributed to their distribution among the countries of Astana. It seeks to control the wealth and aspire to what is left by threatening and launching attacks on the regions. Its goal is to subjugate these regions in favor of the Assad regime without changing the desired goals that the Syrians seek in a regime justice and equality prevail.

* How do you see the international movements regarding the Syrian file?

It is noteworthy that the recent summits held between Biden and the heads of NATO countries, with Putin and Erdogan, have weak interest in the Syrian crisis and its failure to include it as an independent and urgent country in the agendas and discussions, perhaps due to the marginality of Syria's position now in the priorities of the United States.

This is a negative position that has persisted for years and did not seek serious intervention in dealing with the tragic situation. Perhaps there was a tendency to use the Syrian file as a bargaining card for getting concessions from the most important participating parties, I mean, from Iran in the nuclear file, from Turkey in the matter of the Kurdish enclave, from the Russian leadership in changing its position on the international aid for the needy and the affected and issue of opening the crossings. Therefore, there are also deals with Russia in more than one region in the face of China, in Ukraine and the relations that can be renewed between Russia and America without the image of the existing conflict.

As for countries, they work for their interests. This is what we see in all situations in meetings in conferences. We did not even see the presence of the Syrians in these conspiracies. Everyone seeks to solve problems at the expense of the Syrian land and the Syrian crisis.

* Do the Syrians count on this movement, and what is required of them for a solution?

The Syrians must affirm a unified position to preserve their interests, as their absence leaves others to decide their fate and their division makes others play with them, and there is no solution except by agreement with the opposition forces, which are numerous and diverse, and we must not forget the largest force in north and east Syria, where the Syrian Democratic Council must be established A strategy to confront the changes that have occurred and the accumulated failure of conferences, seminars and meetings of representatives.

The Syrians must correct the course before the decision to restore the regime overpowers the international decision, and the revolution falls, and its efforts and the efforts of its sons and the blood of those who sacrificed are lost without price.

* After this meeting, the international coalition against ISIS will hold a meeting. What is your message for this meeting and what is required of them?

I have the slogan of the small group of the global coalition to confront ISIS, which says our alliance is driven by our common desire to stop the scourge of ISIS, and we will use all available means to achieve this with all strength, unity and determination, and we are committed to confronting ISIS globally and modifying our response methods in light of the different needs on the ground.

So, modifying the methods of response now requires measures against the detainees of ISIS members in the Autonomous Administration after their military fall in Al-Baghouz, because without addressing this matter, there is a fear of the situation going awry and the return of ISIS, which did not despair and did not stop seeking to rehabilitate itself for a new enemy.

Also, a humanitarian situation must be addressed in Al-Hol camp, where families and children are waiting to be rehabilitated. Otherwise, a new generation is emerging that cannot be controlled unless we rush to take a serious interest in their fate.

This matter is urgent, and it was addressed with all the countries concerned, and the United Nations must take a decision on it and assign the international representative to include it in his files for a solution in Syria and the establishment of a fair trial on Syrian soil for them, thus ensuring something of a solution in the issue of the non-return of this terrorist organization.

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ANHA