[Debate] "Friends of Syria" Chairman's Conclusions, Istanbul, Turkey, April Fools' Day

[Yoshie Furuhashi]

NB: "the Friends' Group recognized the Syrian National Council as a
legitimate representative of all Syrians," which means SNC didn't get
what it really wanted: to be appointed by imperialists as "the sole
legitimate representative of all Syrians."  BTW, the acronym of
"Friends of Syria" is FOS, the same as "Full of Shit."

<http://bit.ly/H7fTsk>
Chairman's Conclusions: Second Conference of the Group of Friends of
the Syrian People
ISTANBUL

1. The Second Conference of the Group of Friends of the Syrian People
(“the Friends’ Group”) was held in Istanbul on 1 April 2012.

2. The Friends’ Group welcomed the growing interest and participation
of the countries which totaled 82 at this meeting including the
representatives from the United Nations, The League of Arab States,
The European Union, the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, the Gulf
Cooperation Council and the African Union.

3. Recalling the conclusions of the first meeting in Tunisia, the
Friends’ Group reaffirmed its determination to support the just cause
of the Syrian people. The Friends Group underlined that the future of
Syria must be determined by the Syrian people and that it will stand
firmly by them until their rightful and legitimate aspirations are
fulfilled. In this context, the Friends Group underscored its firm and
strong commitment to the sovereignty, independence, political unity
and territorial integrity of Syria.

4. The Syrian National Council presented a report to the Friends
Group, regarding the situation on the ground in Syria. As explicitly
stated in this report, the situation on the ground is grave. The
Syrian regime’s widespread and systematic violations of human rights
and fundamental freedoms continue unabated.  Thousands of Syrians,
including women and children, have perished. Tens of thousands have
been arbitrarily detained and maltreated. Many have been forced to
abandon their homes and have become displaced persons. Whole towns and
neighborhoods have been destroyed. The regime has failed its people in
every respect.  The atrocities committed by the regime amount in some
cases to crimes against humanity, as the UN Independent Commission of
Inquiry has stated. The regime has also continued to deceive the
international community and tried to manipulate its efforts.  The
Syrian regime must immediately put an end to all these practices, stop
all attacks against the Syrian people and fully comply with its
obligations under international law.

5. As it declared at its first meeting on 24 February 2012 in Tunisia,
the Friends’ Group   reiterated its full support for the initiative of
the League of Arab States to facilitate a Syrian-led political
transition leading to a civil, democratic, pluralistic, independent
and free state; one which respects people’s rights regardless of
ethnicity, belief or gender; one which determines its own future based
on the collective will of its people.

6. The Friends’ Group, in this vein, re-emphasized the importance of
the full implementation by the Syrian regime of relevant UN, Arab
League and OIC resolutions and declarations and of the six-point plan
of the Joint Special Envoy (JSE) Kofi Annan which was endorsed by the
UN Security Council in its Presidential Statement of 21 March 2012 and
the Arab League at its 29 March Summit. The Friend’s Group welcomed
the efforts of Joint Special Envoy Kofi Annan and expressed its
support to the full implementation of his mandate as stated in the UN
General Assembly Resolution 66/253 of 16 February 2012 and the Arab
League Resolution 7444 of 22 January 2012 and 7446 of 12 February
2012. The Friends’ Group urge all parties to fully engage with them.

7. However, the Friends’ Group stressed its deep regret of the
continuation of the actions of the Syrian regime, despite its
announcement of acceptance of the six point plan of JSE Kofi Annan.
Since the announcement of acceptance on 27 March, violence by the
regime has not ceased and since that date, many have lost their lives.
Against the background of numerous previous failures to fulfill its
promises, this emerges as a fresh example of the insincerity of the
regime. Therefore, the regime will be judged by its deeds rather than
its promises. The window of opportunity for the regime to implement
its commitments to Joint Special Envoy Annan is not open-ended. The
Friends’ Group called upon the Joint Special Envoy to determine a
timeline for next steps, including a return to the UN Security
Council, if the killing continues. The Group appeals to all members to
bear their responsibility. In the meantime, the Friends’ Group will
continue to work on additional appropriate measures with a view to the
protection of the Syrian people.

8. The Friends’ Group very much welcomed the National Covenant
announced during the Opposition Conference in Istanbul which was held
on 26-27 March 2012 in coordination with the Arab League as
articulated in the Chairman’s Conclusions of the Tunisia meeting. The
Covenant laid out for the first time the foundations of the new Syria.
The Group expressed full support to the opposition’s common vision in
the Covenant of a free and democratic Syria which clearly states that
all citizens of Syria will enjoy human rights and fundamental freedoms
irrespective of their affiliations, ethnicity, belief or gender. The
Group welcomes the commitment of the Syrian opposition, as articulated
in the National Covenant, to a political and economic transition that
is peaceful, orderly and stable; a process reflecting the initiative
of the League of Arab States.  During the political transition, it is
essential that Syrian institutions be preserved and reformed. The new
Syria will be a constitutional democracy where the rule of law is
upheld and all citizens are equal before the law.

9. The Friends' Group also wholeheartedly welcomed the Final
Communiqué of the above-mentioned Opposition Conference in which the
participants committed themselves to work together to put in place an
all-embracing and re-structured opposition platform in order to
advance their common vision for the new Syria. The Friends’ Group
applauded the role of the Syrian National Council and others in making
this result possible.

10. In view of the above, the Friends’ Group recognized the Syrian
National Council as a legitimate representative of all Syrians and the
umbrella organization under which Syrian opposition groups are
gathering. The Friends’ Group also stated its support to the
activities of the Syrian National Council towards a democratic Syria
and noted the Council as the leading interlocutor of the opposition
with the international community.

11. The Friends’ Group appealed to responsible citizens of Syria not
to be a part of the atrocities committed by the regime. It called
particularly on those serving in the armed forces, security agencies
and other government offices not to obey unlawful orders targeting the
Syrian people.

12. The Friends' Group expressed its admiration for the many thousands
of protesters who, in the face of the atrocities committed by the
regime amounting to tyranny and oppression, continue to take to the
streets to demonstrate peacefully for a free and democratic Syria. The
Group expressed its support for legitimate measures taken by the
Syrian population to protect themselves.

13. The Friends’ Group strongly urged all the members of the
international community to take all necessary measures to deprive the
regime of the means it is using to oppress the Syrian people. In this
regard, prevention of the regime’s access to arms is at the foremost.

14. The Friends’ Group took note of the suspension of the diplomatic
activities and recalling of the Ambassadors of various countries in
Damascus since the Tunisia meeting and decided to take further
appropriate measures in this direction.

15. The Friends' Group strongly condemned the ongoing human rights
violations, which are massive, systematic and widespread.  It noted
with grave concern the two reports of the international and
independent Commission of Inquiry mandated by the UN Human Rights
Council, implicating members of the Syrian security forces in
atrocities committed against the Syrian people. The Friends’ Group
made clear that the monitoring of the human rights situation by the
International Independent Commission of Inquiry must be continued and
evidence of international crimes and other gross violations must be
systematically collected to facilitate the process of holding the
perpetrators of such acts accountable. It welcomed the decision of the
Human Rights Council on 23 March to extend the mandate of the
International Independent Commission of Inquiry.

16.  The Friends' Group agreed to develop a multilateral initiative to
support international and Syrian efforts to document, analyze and
store evidence of serious violations of human rights in order to deter
such conduct and lay the foundation for future accountability.

17. The Friends’ Group committed to render all possible assistance,
both technical advice and direct support, to a Syrian-led political
process that is peaceful, orderly and stable.  In this respect, the
Group also committed to continue and increase, as a matter of urgency,
its assistance, including funding and financial support, to meet  the
needs of the Syrian people.

18. The Friends’ Group also decided to set up a Sanctions Working
Group, in order to achieve greater effectiveness in the enforcement of
the restrictive measures already put in force by states or
international organizations including the measures stipulated in the
Chairman’s Conclusions of the first meeting of the Friends’ Group.
France will chair the first meeting of the working group in April
along with other members of the Friends’ Group.

19. The situation in Syria has negative impact on the economic
activities in the region. For example, difficulties on transportation
routes constitute a major problem. The Friends’ Group recognized these
difficulties and agreed to take all necessary measures to minimize the
negative effects in neighboring countries and to facilitate
alternative routes.

20. Being cognizant of the challenges on the path towards political
and economic transition of Syria, the Friends’ Group committed itself
to support Syria economically in the next period in order to ensure
that new Syria stands on its feet in financial and economic terms.

21. In this vein, the Friends’ Group endorsed the mandate for the
Working Group on Economic Recovery and Development which aims to be a
central forum of the international community for planning and
coordination of assistance to the economic recovery and development of
Syria. To this end, the working group will work closely with
designated representatives of the Syrian opposition. The working group
will be co-chaired by Germany and the United Arab Emirates and will be
open to all Friends of the Syrian People.

22. The Friends’ Group expressed its grave concern about the worsening
humanitarian situation in Syria. It reiterated its call on all parties
to allow free and unimpeded access by humanitarian agencies to deliver
essential relief goods and services to those most affected by the
violence, including the treatment of the wounded. It expressed its
support for calls for a daily two hour humanitarian pause in fighting
to allow the delivery of aid.

23. The Group expressed deep concern at the tens of thousands of
Syrians who had to flee to neighboring countries and hundreds of
thousands of displaced persons inside Syria. It acknowledged the
serious and growing burden on Syria’s neighbors in hosting Syrians
fleeing violence by the regime. The Friends' Group reiterated its
commitment to provide support and assistance to the neighbors of Syria
and others in handling the repercussions of the crisis.

24. The Friends' Group reiterated its commitment to distinguish
clearly between the humanitarian response and the ongoing political
negotiations. It welcomed the United Nations Emergency Relief
Coordinators' efforts to gain humanitarian access, plan the response
to identified needs, and establish predictable funding mechanisms, in
particular the UN Emergency Response Fund for Syria. Members of the
Friends' Group committed to continuing to provide funds to meet
humanitarian needs in support of the Syrian people.

25. The Group reiterated its continued support to the efforts of the
United Nations to coordinate the humanitarian response. It noted with
satisfaction the conclusions of the first meeting of the Syrian
Humanitarian Forum, held on 8 March 2012 at Geneva under the auspices
of the United Nations Emergency Relief Coordinator. It recognized the
value of convening such an inclusive Forum to share information and
develop a common approach to the humanitarian response.

26.The Friends’ Group also expressed its firm support to the work of
the Syria Humanitarian Forum and to the mission of Mrs. Valerie Amos,
UN Emergency Relief Coordinator and welcomed the efforts of other
agency and organizations, notably the Organization of Islamic
Cooperation and the Group took note of the UN-OIC humanitarian
assessment mission dispatched to Syria.


27. The Friends’ Group expressed their thanks and appreciation to
Turkey for hosting the Second Conference of the Group of Friends of
the Syrian People. The Group agreed to hold its next meeting in
France.
April/01/2012
-- 
Yoshie Furuhashi
<http://mrzine.org/>