In light of the fierce attack by the Assad tyranny regime on our people in Idlib, its countryside, northern Hama countryside and western Aleppo countryside, and its civilian institutions, hospitals, ovens and markets, targeting civilians by adopting the scorched earth policy, and destroying entire cities and villages, displacing their people and killing hundreds of women and children.

In light of all this criminality, Russia called for Astana meeting in the city of Nur Sultan in order to continue to circumvent the Geneva process and the Security Council resolutions, especially resolution 2254, to give the regime and its allies opportunities to escape the deadline of the political transition and encroach on and overcome the gains and demands of the Syrian revolution.

This meeting is the thirteenth in this process, which did not fruit any results for the Syrian people, on the contrary, the situation deteriorates after each meeting and its guarantor countries direct the outputs according to their interests and agendas, while the interests of Syria and the Syrian people are not taken into consideration.

The Syrian Women’s Political Movement rejects, as most of the Syrian people reject this path and consider that it undermines their immediate and future demands. The Syrian Women’s Political Movement believes that the results of this conference had so far only brought losses, most notably of which are the human casualties, including more civilian victims, forced displacement and destruction.

In light of all this, the Syrian Women’s Political Movement declares its reservation and rejection of this process for the following reasons:

1. The Astana process didn’t accomplish any gains for the Syrian revolution or for the Syrian people, rather it has led to a series of setbacks and defeats.

2. None of the previous rounds’ resolutions or agreements has been implemented, the most important of which concern the file of detainees, uncover the fate of the disappeared and end the targeting of civilians.

3. The guarantors of this course did not abide by any of their obligations and sought to achieve their interests and thus resulted in gains for the Assad regime, which continued and continues to fight the Syrian people.

The Syrian Women’s Political Movement believes that the participation of opposition figures provides legitimacy to Astana which allowed the regime and its allies to commit more crimes and legitimizes the interventions of allies of the regime outside legitimacy of the United Nations.

Based on the above, the Syrian Women’s Political Movement calls for the suspension of the opposition participation – individuals and institutions – in this process and the relentless endeavour of all opposition forces to return the Syrian file to the Geneva process and the full implementation of UN Security Council resolution 2254 under the auspices of the United Nations. So, we can reach a political solution that paves the way to achieve a real political transition while meeting the demands of the Syrian people for a state that guarantees freedom and dignity for all its citizens in civil, democratic, pluralistic Syria.

 May martyrs rest in peace, detainees and disappeared persons be free, and our great people emerge victorious.

General Secretariat of the Syrian Women’s Political Movement

Friday, August 2, 2019