Suspicious silence prevails over Syrian opposition, political process may die
IDLIB, Syria (North Press) – Suspicious silence dominates Syrian opposition after the meetings of the Constitutional Committee were postponed or, disabled so to speak, in July.
This came in tandem with rapid military escalation in some areas in Syria, the matter arouses questions about the destiny of the political process in Syria.
It was set for the 9th round of the Syrian Constitutional Committee (SCC) to be held on July 25.
But on July 16, co-chair of the SCC for the opposition delegation Hadi al-Bahra announced that the UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen informed him about postponing the 9th round of the SCC until further notice.
The SCC, which was first met in 2019, has a Large Body and a Small Body; the Large Body comprises 150 members: 50 of the government, 50 of the opposition and 50 of the civil society. While the Small Body comprises 45 members: 15 of the government, 15 of the opposition and 15 of the civil society.
Political operation has not over yet
Samira Moubayed, a member of the SCC for the civil society does not think that there is a disruption for the work of the SCC, “but it is an endeavor to correct it after the failure of the last mechanism.” The UN call to neutralize global conflicts from Syrian talks proves that.
On July 30, the UN called for firewalling talks of the SCC in Geneva, Switzerland, from conflicts and put the interest of Syrians first.
This was followed by no talks, either at the international or local level, of any signs of a solution to the political process following Russia’s successful endeavours to find an alternative platform to Geneva, for its position on the war in Ukraine.
Wrong approach
The reaction of the SCC members for the opposition was limited to the suspension of the SCC work, to statements accusing the Syrian government delegation of placing foreign interests as a priority over Syria’s national interests, referring to Russia.
Moubayed described the Syrian opposition stance as “wrong approach, and not enough.”
“This proves a compatibility with the regime to disrupt the constitutional process and seek to stabilize the sharing of de facto forces,” she said, “Turkish recent statements regarding supporting the regime is a proof of this.”
Turkey is considered the most influential state on the opposition’s decision-making, and has the full control over the SCC Small Body, according to Moubayed.
She believes that the deadlock of the constitutional process is due to “the Russian stance and international tensions.”
“But the most effective causes are the refusal of both the regime and the opposition of the essential change of the existing system in Syria, the seek to leave the ongoing conflict status as it is, and empowering the accompanying military and subordinate forces of the conflicting states on Syrian territory.”
She expressed that the opposition’s silence is moving toward a tacit approval regarding this support based on political trade-off that guarantees its continuity.
“This situation means the continuation of the conflict, the dependence on Turkey and Turkey’s dominance over Syrian territory and the fate and future of the Syrians, she concluded.