NATIONAL COORDINATION BODY FOR DEMOCRATIC CHANGE IN SYRIA / PRESS RELEASE

Press Release –  NCB Media Office- 21-1-2014 – MESOP – Last night Hassan Abdulazim, General Coordinator of the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change in Syria (NCB), received a phone-call from Ahmad al-Jarba, the President of the Syrian National Coalition, from Istanbul inviting him personally to attend with the Coalition’s delegation in the Geneva 2 conference on 22/1/2014. The answer of the Abdulazim was to refuse attendance, since he cannot attend as an individual within the Coalition delegation since he is a representative of the entire NCB, which has several political parties, forces and several renowned opposition figures.  

 He also stands firmly by the NCB Executive Committee decision taken on 14/1/2014 to refuse attending the conference in its current format because it is built on silencing the democratic national opposition forces, which have maintained their independence. Refusing this weak representation of the opposition in an international conference that has been long waited.

 The pre-conditions and framework that is necessary in the opposition delegation, as stated in the Geneva 1 Communique, was not allowed by the host countries to happen. the necessary meetings, dialogue and agreement on a joint vision and a unified block in the negotiations was not possible because of the late and forced C-section birth of the Coalitions decision to attend the conference, only two days prior to it being held. These faults are what make the NCB insist on there being the following settings for it to attend:

 1- The conference should be postponed so that the necessary meetings take place.

 2- An invitation is to be sent from the UN Secretary General to the NCB and the Kurdish Supreme Committee, for them to coordinate with the Coalition in creating a democratic and balanced opposition delegation; with it to also include independent forces and persons. In case the Coalition refuses then the invitation would be to create a delegation of the independent and democratic national opposition.

 3- The release of a large number of detainees, especially women and children and those who have no links to violence, those released should include leading NCB members Abdelaziz al-Khayer and Raja’ al-Nasser. The sieges on the cities and neighbourhoods be lifted and medicine and food be let in.

 4- Contact and coordination should take place between the national and democratic opposition forces inside and outside Syria. The forefront of them being the Coalition and the Kurdish Supreme Committee with the intention of creating a united and balanced delegation to represent the democratic opposition in the Geneva conference.

 5- Work to create a Democratic National  Union responsible for defending the Syrian cause, to be done with the consulting and dialogue with other democratic forces inside and outside Syria.