Damascus:
Syria’s interim president, Ahmed al-Sharaa, promised Thursday to carry a “nationwide dialogue convention” in his first deal with to the nation for the reason that fall of ousted chief Bashar al-Assad.
Sharaa, who was appointed interim president a day earlier for an unspecified transitional interval, vowed to protect “civil peace” and Syria’s territorial unity.
“We’ll announce within the coming days a committee charged with making ready the nationwide dialogue convention, a direct platform for discussions, to hearken to completely different factors of view on our future political programme,” Sharaa stated within the prerecorded televised deal with.
Sharaa additionally dedicated to issuing a “constitutional declaration” to function a “authorized reference” in the course of the nation’s transition, following the suspension of the previous structure.
And he vowed to “pursue the criminals who shed Syrian blood and dedicated massacres and crimes”, whether or not they had been in Syria or overseas, and to ascertain “actual transitional justice” after Assad’s fall.
The speech adopted a go to by Qatari Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani, who emphasised the “pressing want” to kind an inclusive authorities throughout a gathering with Sharaa, in keeping with the Qatari royal court docket.
The emir’s journey to Damascus was the primary by a head of state since Islamist-led rebels seized energy lower than two months in the past. It additionally follows a go to by Qatar’s prime minister this month.
The emir “pressured the pressing must kind a authorities representing all spectrums” of Syrian society so as “to consolidate stability and transfer ahead with reconstruction, improvement and prosperity tasks”, the royal court docket assertion stated, congratulating Sharaa on his appointment.
Syria’s new authorities on Wednesday stated Sharaa had additionally been tasked with forming a transitional legislature. They introduced the dissolution of all armed teams concerned in Assad’s overthrow, in addition to the previous authorities’s military.
A transitional authorities had beforehand been appointed to steer the multi-ethnic, multi-confessional nation till March 1.
Syrian International Minister Asaad al-Shaibani stated discussions with the Qatari delegation touched on reconstruction within the nation devastated by practically 14 years of civil conflict.
– ‘Historic go to’ –
Not like different Arab nations, Qatar didn’t restore diplomatic ties with Syria below Assad and was one of many first to again the armed insurrection that erupted after his authorities crushed a peaceable rebellion in 2011.
A number of visiting international officers have urged an inclusive transition after Sharaa’s Islamist group led the offensive that ousted Assad on December 8.
Qatari international ministry official Mohammed al-Khulaifi welcomed Wednesday’s announcement by Syria’s authorities “on the top of the revolutionary part and the transition to the part of building the state”.
Doha would proceed “to offer the required assist on all humanitarian and repair ranges, and in addition concerning infrastructure and electrical energy”, he stated.
Qatar was the second nation, after Turkey, to reopen its embassy in Damascus following Assad’s overthrow. It has urged the lifting of sanctions.
Throughout a go to earlier this month, Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani pledged to assist the rehabilitation of Syria’s infrastructure.
A diplomatic supply has additionally stated Qatar was weighing plans to help Syria with public sector salaries.
– Regional congratulations –
Saudi Arabia’s king and crown prince on Thursday congratulated Sharaa on assuming Syria’s interim presidency.
Riyadh was key to returning Assad’s Syria to the Arab League in 2023, after brazenly championing his overthrow following Damascus’s 2011 crackdown on pro-democracy protests, which sparked conflict.
“We’re happy to precise our congratulations on the event of your assumption of the presidency of the Syrian Arab Republic within the transitional part,” King Salman stated in a cable, in keeping with the international ministry.
Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, the Saudi prime minister and de facto ruler below his ageing father, despatched a separate cable additionally providing his congratulations, the assertion stated.
Final week, Saudi Arabia’s international minister visited Damascus, promising assist to safe the lifting of worldwide sanctions imposed throughout Assad’s rule.
Shaibani travelled to Riyadh early in January for his first official journey overseas, and in addition visited Qatar throughout a regional tour.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II additionally congratulated Sharaa on Thursday, wishing him “success in main Syria and serving its folks”.
Amid a flurry of diplomatic exercise, a delegation from Russia, a detailed ally of ousted chief Assad, visited this week, whereas international ministers or senior officers from nations together with France, Germany and Turkey have additionally been to Damascus.
Syria’s defence ministry stated Thursday {that a} high-level Turkish navy delegation additionally visited the nation.
(Aside from the headline, this story has not been edited by NDTV employees and is printed from a syndicated feed.)
