RUSSIA: Syrian group says opposition use of force is a reaction to government pressure and says Assad regime must end circle of violence

Record ID: 280622

  • Title: RUSSIA: Syrian group says opposition use of force is a reaction to government pressure and says Assad regime must end circle of violence
  • Date: 18th April 2012
  • Summary: MOSCOW, RUSSIA (APRIL 17, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF BRIEFING IN PROGRESS (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) MEMBER OF SYRIAN NATIONAL COORDINATION BODY HAITHAM MANAA SAYING: "We think the violence that the opposition has turned to -- violence from the people, so to speak -- is a reaction to the violence from government armed forces and it will stop as soon as the pressure from the r
  • Embargoed: 3rd May 2012 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Russian Federation
  • Country: Russia
  • Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA5DAVJ8UZJLFRAKEAT6ZE184JT
  • Story Text: Members of the National Coordination Body, a centrist Syrian opposition group, said on Tuesday (April 17) during a visit to Moscow that they shared Russia's opposition to foreign intervention but maintained that use of force by the opposition was entirely defensive.
    "We think the violence that the opposition has turned to - violence from the people, so to speak - is a reaction to the violence from government armed forces and that it will stop as soon as the pressure from the regime stops," Haitham Manaa said at a news conference.
    "We came to Moscow set on enforcing the ceasefire plan, and stopping this blind circle of violence is imperative in order to reach a political agreement and this force on the side that is most organised and more powerful in organising the violence, meaning the regime - there is an important role for the Russian government to play in making the Syrian regime abide by the ceasefire deal," added Manaa.
    Abdulaziz Al Khaier, another member of the delegation which was due to meet with Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, said the group could only engage in dialogue if Syrian President Bashar al-Assad proved he was not responsible for the bloodshed.
    "It is unacceptable to sit at the table with representatives of the Syrian government whose hands are sullied with the people's blood," Khaier said through an interpreter.
    "Our coordinating committee said they are ready to hold dialogue with those in the Syrian regime whose hands have not been tainted with blood or corruption. Bashar al-Assad is the president and he is responsible constitutionally for all the events that took place in the country over the past year. If he wants to prove he is not responsible for what happened and that his hands are clean of blood, let him do so in front of the appropriate bodies," said Khaier, adding; "Until this happens in an acceptable legal manner - international law as well as Syrian law -then he continues to be held responsible for all this bloodshed in Syria, all these massacres over the past year."
    Lavrov said on Tuesday that unspecified external forces were undermining envoy Kofi Annan's peace effort in Syria and support for government foes posed a threat to a fragile ceasefire.
    Opponents of peace had consigned Annan's plan to end 13 months of violence in Syria to failure and "are doing a lot to see to it that this prophecy comes true," Foreign Minister Lavrov said at a separate briefing.
    Lavrov reiterated Russia's calls for foreign countries to press Assad's opponents to comply with Annan's plan, and its criticism of the "Friends of Syria" group of Western and Arab nations, which he said was undermining U.N. peace efforts.
    Moscow has pledged its full support for Annan's peace plan and last week called on the Syrian government to step up implementation, but also has put much of the blame for the bloodshed on opposition forces.
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