EPP Group, European Parliament
Press Release
18/07/2012
Syria: securing the future of minorities and forming an all-inclusive opposition are key for President Assad’s departure. Elmar Brok MEP and Ioannis Kasoulides MEP
“The main support of Syria’s President Bashar Al-Assad at the present time is the tacit approval that he gets from the Alewite, Kurd, Christian and Druze minorities. If these minorities feel secure enough that the future of Syria will not be in the hands of Islamist Sunni forces alone, which they fear may victimise them, then they will abandon their passive support to Bashar Al-Assad and he will be left isolated. This will be a turning point for the end of Al-Assad’s regime”, said Elmar Brok MEP, Chairman of the European Parliament’s Foreign Affairs Committee.
“For the very same purpose, it is necessary to form an All-inclusive Forum which will encompass all opposition forces along with the Syrian National Council”, underlined Ioannis Kasoulides MEP, EPP Group Vice-Chairman responsible for Foreign Affairs. “Opposition forces, like the Syrian National Democratic Council from the Alewite community will be in a position to negotiate the safe departure of Bashar Al-Assad from the country and a peaceful transition to the approval of all opposition forces.”
“We call on Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar to face up to their responsibilities. They should not selectively support only one opposition movement but, on the contrary, exercise their influence for an All-inclusive opposition that will secure the future of the vulnerable minorities in Syria”, concluded Elmar Brok and Ioannis Kasoulides.
Commenting on the statement, Ribal Al-Assad, Director of the ODFS, said:
“I welcome the statement and intervention by Mr Brok and Mr Kasoulides. It is vital that all minorities in Syria are assured that they will not be persecuted by a future government and will have representation in that government. Therefore it is imperative that we have an united democratic and inclusive opposition that can work towards an inclusive transitional government.
“I call on both sides in the Syrian conflict to halt the violence and and to work together for a peaceful transition as that is the only way forward.”
