Brussels, 18/03/2014 (Agence Europe) - During various meetings at the European Parliament on 17-18 March, the leader of the Syrian opposition, Ahmed Jarba, called on the European Union to provide the Syrian opposition with weapons. The member states have until now refused to do this. “We ask the EU to provide us with anti-aircraft missiles to be able to protect our people”, he said, criticising the disparity between the weapons available to the opposition and those of the forces of the regime. “We are not asking for troops, but to be given what it needs to confront the terrorism”, Jarba stated. “We are fighting the terrorism of the regime, of mercenaries from Iraq, Iran and Hezbollah, and the terrorism linked to Al Quaeda. I believe that as part of this fight we have the right to humanitarian and military aid. We want the EU to be able to be on our side in this critical phase”, he said, giving assurances that the weapons would not fall into the wrong hands.
Modern day holocaust. Jarba called for additional humanitarian aid, underlining that the Syrians are not dying under the bombing, but are dying from hunger, the lack of drinking water and medication. He also called for the adoption of a United Nations Security Council (UNSC) resolution under Article 7, to put an end to the siege and identify humanitarian corridors. “What is killing us most is the international community's complicity of silence with regard to this tragedy, this crime against our people”, he added. Jarba described the situation as “a modern day holocaust in the face of a fascist regime, the biggest modern day massacre, a stain on humanity”. In Jarba's view, the response of the international community is “insufficient” given the “breadth of the catastrophe”. He wanted another UNSC resolution, which would be binding and once again under Article 7, for the foreign armed militia to leave the territory.
Jarba also saw as “a humiliation” and “an insult to the Syrian people”, that Bashar al Assad reportedly wants to stand for the presidential elections that are due to take place before mid-July 2014 and the end of his current second mandate. “We can't even organise a municipal election”, he said, challenging the possibility of organising an election at national level and rejecting the timetable.
Threat to a Geneva II follow up. Jarba warned that the opposition might no longer participate in the political negotiations as part of the so-called Geneva II peace conference. “It is necessary to reflect on post-Geneva. There could be other conferences but, in my opinion, this conference will remain a single one, given the fact that the regime doesn't want to cooperate”, he warned. “We agreed to go to Geneva but, if the regime is responsible for the failure of the negotiations, then in that case, friends and allies must take a stand to defend the civilians and bring them military and humanitarian aid”, he said once again. Nevertheless, “at the end of the day, the solution must be political”, he believed. “Real military pressure is needed to reach a political solution to the conflict”, Jarba stated. (CG)