RUSSIA: Syrian opposition delegation asks Moscow to help its country reach democracy

Record ID: 278703

  • Title: RUSSIA: Syrian opposition delegation asks Moscow to help its country reach democracy
  • Date: 29th June 2011
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (JUNE 28, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF MOSCOW STREETS WITH CARS RUSSIAN AFRICA ENVOY MIKHAIL MARGELOV MEETING AND SHAKING HANDS WITH HEAD OF THE SYRIAN OPPOSITION DELEGATION IN RUSSIA, FOUNDER OF THE DAMASCUS HUMAN RIGHTS RESEARCH CENTRE, RADWAN ZIADEH CAMERA CREW FILMING MARGELOV AND OPPOSITION SYRIAN DELEGATION AT TALKS MARGELOV AT TALKS MARGELOV AND O
  • Embargoed: 14th July 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Russian Federation
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA8ZZLS365PTZCB1GIMGL2QKKE3
  • Story Text: Members of Syria's opposition in exile said they would use a visit to Moscow on Tuesday (June 28) to urge Russia to condemn a violent crackdown on protests in the Middle Eastern nation.
    Opponents of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad met Moscow's Africa envoy Mikhail Margelov, who has been involved in Russian efforts to mediate in North Africa and the Middle East -- regions that have been hit by a wave of popular uprisings.
    During the meeting in central Moscow, Margelov spoke sympathetically about the Syrian situation and said that Russia supported the people of Syria above all.
    "For us in the Russian Federation it is absolutely clear - we do not have other friends apart from the Syrian people in the Syrian Arabic Republic. The leaders come and go, politicians come and go, social systems come and go, but for Russia there remains the only reliable and faithful friend - the Syrian people. This is why we are so concerned about what it happening right now in Syria. This is why we are interested in the prompt resolution of the Syrian political crisis," Margelov said.
    Human rights groups say 1,300 civilians have been killed in demonstrations in a three-month revolt against Assad's rule.
    Syrian authorities say more than 250 soldiers and police have died in clashes provoked by militant groups.
    Russia has urged Assad to follow through faster on promised reforms, but has opposed Western efforts to condemn his crackdown in the U.N. Security Council and echoed his claims that extremists are to blame for some of the violence.
    Russia's Foreign Ministry said the Syrian opposition representatives, based in Russia and other countries outside Syria, were coming at the invitation of a regional cooperation society chaired by Margelov and that no official meetings were planned.
    But members of the delegation said they hoped to get a clear message across.
    "We emphasise about the historical relationship between Syria and Russia and we do believe we need these ties and this historical relationship to be continued and we call up on Russia to use its leverage on the Syrian regime to stop the killings done by the Syrian security apparatus on the Syrian peaceful demonstrations," said the head of the Syrian Opposition Delegation in Russia, and founder of the Damascus Human Rights Research Centre, Radwan Ziadeh after the meeting.
    The delegation Russia to support the Syrian opposition on the international arena.
    "We call on Russia, not only to vote in favour of the decisions made by the Security Council, but also for it to head or be at the foundations of the changes for which we are acting in Syria," Ziadeh said during a press conference at the state-owned Russian news agency RIA Novosti.
    The representative of the foreign committee "For the Support of the Syrian Revolution", Mahmoud al-Hamza also called on Russia to speak for Syria at the United Nations.
    "For example in the United Nations, we expect Russia to speak with criticism of the violence and killing which are happening in Syria," he said.
    However, veto-wielding Security Council member Russia, which has long faced Western criticism over its treatment of political opponents, is wary of setting a precedent for international involvement in what its says are nations' internal affairs.
    Last week, Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said both Russia and Western nations should urge the Syrian opposition to enter talks with the government on proposed reforms.
    Some of Syria's leading intellectuals called on Monday for sweeping political change that could end 41 years of Assad family rule, at a rare conference allowed by the authorities under pressure from the uprising.
    The Syrian government also announced that it would invite opposition figures to July 10 talks to set the framework for a dialogue promised by Assad, and that constitutional changes would be on the agenda.
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