Ahmed Touma: The opposition refuses to hold “presidential elections” in the areas it controls

The Russian agency, Sputnik, quoted the head of the Syrian opposition delegation to Astana, Ahmed Tohme, as refusing to hold “presidential elections” on the territories under its control, describing them as pictorial and that they would undermine the peace process in the country.

Touma said in an exclusive interview with “Sputnik”: “The Assad regime is trying to torpedo the political process in Syria, by provoking us in one of the most important points, which is related to the refusal to implement the basic clause or one of the basic provisions of Security Council Resolution 2254.”

He explained, “The decision stipulating the new constitution and elections under the supervision of the United Nations, provided that this takes place within a period of time not exceeding six months. It obstructed all this within five to six years and went towards elections in which he alone and his associates participate, and it is a blow to everything that is.”Put forth by the United Nations ”.

On the upcoming Astana meeting and the participation of the Syrian opposition, Tohme explained that the Syrian opposition has an opportunity to press the Assad government further in the next Astana meeting, noting that the international community will not recognize its legitimacy after the “presidential elections” scheduled for May.

He said: “My convictions that I conveyed to you during the Astana meetings were that before the sham elections there will be no meeting of the Constitutional Committee. The Assad regime wants to first prove its legitimacy, and then after that it thinks about how to deal with this file, and it thinks that the best way is to dilute it.
Things ”.

He pointed out that “as long as there is no real international pressure, neither from his opponents nor from his allies, and therefore he finds that this method is successful in return, this does not mean that we give up, on the contrary, we see this time we have great opportunities that could lead to more pressure on him and put him in
the corner”.

He added, “The Astana meetings, when we are called to them, see the issue as an opportunity to defend the viewpoint of the Syrian people and their rights and confront the Assad regime in all arenas.”

He pointed out that “the difference between the current and previous sessions is that the international community previously recognized the legitimacy of the Assad regime, but this time no one recognizes its legitimacy, and as I said, we are participating in Astana meetings in order to present the viewpoint of the Syrian people and defend it and fight for it and put pressure on countries.
Participation in Astana talks and talks in order to implement what is agreed upon, as well as implement United Nations resolutions.

Both the head of the National Coalition and the head of the Syrian Interim Government considered that the presidential elections that the Assad regime intends to take place next May were illegal and a farce, calling on the international community to assume its responsibilities to push the Assad regime to engage in the political solution.