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Mogherini to Riad Seif: We Should Keep Syria Unified | ASHARQ AL-AWSAT English Archive 2005 -2017
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European Union foreign policy chief Federica Mogherini holds a news conference on the European Defence Action Plan in Brussels, Belgium November 30, 2016. REUTERS/Eric Vidal


London- President of the National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces Riad Seif met on Friday with the High Representative of the European Union for Foreign Affairs, Federica Mogherini, at the EU headquarters in the Belgium capital, Brussels.

Mogherini expressed concern over divisions inside Syria. “We believe, as you believe, that Syria should stay unified,” she said.

A statement issued by the “Coalition” said that during his meeting with Mogherini, Seif asserted that the Europeans are asked to play a bigger role in Syria and in the Middle East.

“We feel disadvantaged when we see comments condemning the war crimes committed by the regime against humanity in the absence of any action taken to present those behaviors on the ground,” he said.

Seif also said that “Iran was invading Syria, while Russia was allowed to act on its own.”

On the other hand, he said: “Our friends fail to stop the assault and show a lack of interest.”

The newly-elected Coalition president said that the main presidential program aims to enhance women representation inside Syrian institutions and in political work, also demanding the EU, in collaboration with the United Nations, to help find solutions to around 10 million Syrians who have no travel papers due to the regime’s security measures.

According to the “Coalition,” Mogherini said the visit was “very important for me and for my team,” adding: “We support the opposition at the political level, and its works in the political operation in Geneva.”

Seif was accompanied by Prime Minister of the Syrian Interim Government (SIG) Jawad About Hatab to discuss the political process and support for resilience inside Syria.

A EU press release said that “both parties reiterated their commitment and support to the UN-led Geneva process, calling on all parties to fully engage in the intra-Syrian negotiations to achieve a political transition in Syria.”

It was agreed that only a political solution could constitute the way out of the Syrian crisis, for the sake of all Syrian people, the statement added.