Syrian opposition refuses power-sharing with regime

GENEVA

The opposition’s top negotiator in Geneva’s Syrian talks said Sunday his group is working for a fully empowered transitional government without the participation of Syrian President Bashar Assad and his proxies, not any power-sharing with the regime.

Asaad al-Zoubi, the head of the Syrian opposition’s High Negotiations Committee (HNC), told Anadolu Agency that the Assad regime has been proposing that it take part in the military council and interim government, including the defense and interior ministries, but that the regime knows their end is near. "We are not here to share power and seats. We are here to establish a transitional government with full authority," he said.

He added: "What we care about is the international resolutions regarding the formation of a transitional government with executive powers along with judicial and military councils, setting up a constitutional committee and holding elections."

The latest round of Syrian negotiations in Geneva began last Thursday

Transitional government committee

Speaking about the transitional government committee, Zoubi said: "The number of the committee members has not been determined yet. The experts must decide it, but we expect that 10 or 20 members may be selected. Perhaps moderate regime members who did not commit any murders can take part. What is important for us is to be able to start negotiations between the committees representing the regime and the opposition."

Zoubi added that they are against sharing seats on the transitional committee equally with the regime, saying this would betray the Syrian revolution. However, he said, regime members might take seats on the committee if the Syrian Revolutionary General Commission agrees to it.

On the regime's stubbornness and the committee's withdrawal during a previous round of Geneva negotiations, Zoubi said: "The regime had come with pressure and without being persuaded. Moreover, the Syrian regime is trying to disrupt the negotiations. We can see the attacks in Aleppo as evidence of this. The regime is trying to hinder all efforts for a political solution. All parties speaking on behalf of the regime say there is no political solution as well as that military solutions will not bear any fruit. The only thing they know is killing."

Zoubi also said that the countries supporting the regime, like Iran, have also adopted this mindset.

"We appreciate the condemnation of Iran during the Organization of Islamic Cooperation [Summit] held in Turkey on Friday, that it interfered in the internal affairs of regional countries," said Zoubi.