Final Communiqué of 38th Syrian Coalition’s General Assembly Meeting

Final communiqué

Syrian Coalition

General Assembly

March 13, 2018

|The Syrian Coalition’s General Assembly convened its 38th meeting on 10-11 March. The agenda of the meeting included a number of important topics.

President Riad Seif was absent from the meeting as he earlier quit his position due to health reasons. He sent a voice message greeting the Coalition and wishing it success in carrying out its mission as he asserted that he would remain an active member in the Coalition.

In accordance with articles 8, 11 and 12 of the Syrian Coalition’s rules of procedure pertaining to the vacancy of the position of the president, and after agreement by the two vice-presidents, the General Assembly decided to appoint Vice-President Abdulrahman Mustafa president of the Coalition until the end of the current electoral term. The Assembly profusely thanked Seif for the efforts he has made in the Coalition as it wished him speedy recovery and quick return to resume his role in the Coalition.

Following discussion of reports submitted by the President, the Secretary General, and the political committee as well as details of the dialogue with the Kurdish National Council, the Assembly decided to assign the political committee to carry on with the dialogue to reach consensus ensuring wider participation and overcoming existing disagreements.

The situation in eastern Ghouta was on top of the agenda of the meeting. Following direct contact with the Deputy Head of the Syrian Interim Government in Douma, and based on reports and assessments made by the Coalition's crisis cell, which comprised members of the political committee, the Syrian Negotiations Commission, the FSA groups in eastern Ghouta, the Syrian Islamic Council, the Damascus provincial council, the Assembly reached a decision to propose a political initiative that the Coalition will work to actualize. The initiative includes a number of items aimed at stopping the massacres taking place in eastern Ghouta, protecting civilians, ensuring implementation of UN Security Council Resolution 2401, and ensuring the safe entry of aid convoys fully meeting the needs of all civilians trapped in the Damascus suburb.

The initiative also aims to unify political and military efforts as well as assign the Coalition and the Syrian Negotiations Commission to work with various international sides to urge them to assume their role in stopping the holocaust taking place in eastern Ghouta and ensuring protection of civilians.

Tabled for discussions were also the situation on the ground in Afrin and Operation Olive Branch. The General Assembly decided to form a working group to follow up on the developments in Afrin and ensure the formation of a peaceful and reassuring administration by the people of Afrin in coordination with the Turkish government.

Moreover, the Assembly discussed the situation in Idlib, northern rural Homs, Shield of the Euphrates area, and Aleppo as well as the relations with the Turkish government. It also discussed the outcome of the visits made by the political committee and President Seif to northern Syria. The Assembly stressed the importance of participation of the Coalition and the Syrian Interim Government in Shield of the Euphrates area as well as in the areas that have been freed from Hay’at Tahrir Al-Sham in Idlib province.

The General Assembly also discussed a number of topics on the agenda related to the developments of the negotiating process and the Constitutional Committee as well as the performance of the Coalition’s members in the Syrian Negotiations Commission.

May our wounded recover, our detainees be free, and our fallen heroes rest in peace.

May our revolution emerge victorious.