Iran Ready to Facilitate Talks between Syrian Government, Opposition
Wednesday, July 18, 2012
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Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi says that Iran has already established contact with a large segment of the Syrian opposition.
“The Islamic Republic of Iran has already been in contact with a large segment of the Syrian opposition and has held consultations with them. Now, we are also ready to facilitate talks between the opposition and the Syrian government,” Salehi said.
“Regional countries and those interested in regional peace should always work hand in hand to find a way out of the crisis… in order to ensure that the final outcome will be to the benefit of the Syrian people, the region, and the international community,” he added.
Salehi announced that Iran is ready to host negotiations between the Syrian government and the country’s opposition, saying, “The Islamic Republic of Iran is ready to hold a meeting with the Syrian opposition and invite them to Iran, and we are ready to pave the way for negotiations between the opposition and the Syrian government.”
He added, “We believe that the Syrian issue should be resolved through a Syrian-Syrian solution, and nothing, no rule, and no government should be imposed on Syria from outside.”
Iran's Foreign Minister has urged the Syrian government and opposition to respect the six-point plan set forth by UN-Arab League Special Envoy on Syria Kofi Annan.
Salehi said Syrian opposition groups are numerous and Iran has contacted many of them.
“If some of them are opposed to Iran's proposal for hosting a meeting aimed at meditation between the Syrian government and opposition groups, a great number welcome the idea,” the Iranian foreign minister added.
He said, “Iran believes the Syrian government and opposition groups must hold talks and respect Annan’s six-point plan to tackle the ongoing crisis in the country.”
Iran's Foreign Minister has also described the recent bombing in Damascus as an indication that terrorism is spreading in Syria and the region.
Today’s terrorist attack… indicates that terrorism is taking root in Syria and the region,” Salehi said.
The Iranian Foreign Minister condemned the attack and reiterated Iran's support for Annan’s plan for resolving the crisis in Syria.
Salehi urged Annan to prevent a repetition of risky and unpleasant outcomes of terrorism in Iraq and Afghanistan by adopting firm stances with regards to Syria.
Iran's Foreign Minister has expressed Iran's condolences over the death of four senior Syrian officials in a recent bomb attack in the Syrian capital, Damascus.
Iran's Foreign Minister has also called for structural changes to the global system through convergence among the world’s independent nations.
Salehi pointed to “joint global management,” as the NAM’s major motto.
“Now it is the time to seize the global management from certain powers and, to do that, it is necessary to make a basic revision in the global management system,” he added.
The Iranian minister praised the ample potentials of the NAM member states and argued that such capabilities should be exploited for the establishment of justice among the world nations and settlement of international disputes.
“By studying global developments, particularly over the past decade and after the regional and world wars during that period, we realize that all the world’s problems are caused by lack of spirituality and attention of the rulers and powers to materialistic issues,” Salehi added.
He pointed to the key regional and global developments over the past two years, including the Islamic Awakening across the Arab world and the anti-capitalism Occupy Movement across the major Western cities, and stressed that the upcoming NAM meeting will put discussion of those issues on its agenda.
Iran will host the 16th summit of the NAM member states on August 26-31.