Brahimi calls for new Syrian Republic

World Bulletin

3 DECEMBER, 2013

The UN and Arab League envoy to Syria, Lakhdar Brahimi, said that Syria would turn into a big Somalia if the political crisis did not end soon.

Brahimi expressed his support for establishing a new government in Syria, adding that Syrians are the ones to determine their new country’s “nature.”

“In my humble opinion, this should lead to a new, democratic, republican system, non-sectarian in Syria, which opens the door to what I call the new Syrian Republic,” Brahimi said in an interview with a Swiss public television network on Monday.

Meanwhile, Brahimi said he hopes Saudi Arabia and Iran participate in an upcoming peace conference to be held in Geneva next month.

Responding to the statement, ODFS Director, Ribal Al-Assad said:

“I welcome Mr. Brahimi’s statement.

However, it is vital that the Geneva 2 Conference really does herald a new approach by bringing together all parties who share our universal values, and who genuinely believe in and are willing to commit to Democracy.

We must not repeat the mistakes of the past, made at the ‘Friends of Syria’ meetings, where Turkey and Qatar amongst others selected a so-called ‘representative’ of the Syrian people, but without a democratic process. Other opposition groups were not invited to participate. This afforded legitimacy to an extremist political opposition and was an insult to every peace-loving Syrian and to democrats the world over.

Democracy means true representation of the people. And ever since those ‘Friends of Syria’ meetings, the Syrian people have been asking:

1. How and why were those opposition representatives chosen?

2. How did they come to the ascendancy?

3. From where did they get their legitimacy?

4. How democratic was that process?

These questions must act as the basis for Geneva 2, which must represent all Syrians who aspired for democracy and freedom. It must bring together all groups who genuinely believe in democracy and are willing to commit to it, and to facilitate dialogue between these groups and the Syrian regime, to form a government of National Unity. This, in turn, will enable a peaceful transition to Democracy.

The Syrian conflict is destroying the country. It will only be resolved through an all-inclusive, peaceful and democratic transition. If Geneva 2 acts as a catalyst for that transition then there may still be a chance of peace. Without democratic representation, the terrible suffering of the Syrian people will continue.”