CAIRO, Egypt, — Agreement between the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change [NCB] and the Syrian National Council [SNC], to be submitted to the Secretariat of the Arab League as a joint political document for the Congress of the Syrian opposition that is expected to take place under the umbrella of the Arab League in January 2012.
Following talks lasting for more than a month involving the leadership of the NCB and the SNC, the parties agreed on the following:
1 – Rejection of any foreign military intervention that affects the sovereignty and independence of the country. The Arab intervention is not considered to be foreign.
2 – Protection of civilians by all legitimate means in the context of international human rights Law.
3 – Preservation and promotion of national unity of the Syrian people, and the refusal and condemnation of sectarianism, its mobilization, and all that leads to it.
4 – We are proud of the officers and Syrian soldiers who refused to obey the orders to kill civilians and peaceful demonstrators demanding freedom, and we understand the humanitarian and patriotic crisis of conscience which the regime has forced on them. We hold the regime fully responsible for this.
Transitional phase:
Firstly, the transitional phase will begin with the fall of the existing regime, its structures and its symbols which means the existing political authority, whilst maintaining the institutions of the State and its core functions. It will end with the adoption of a new Constitution for the country to ensure a parliamentary, democratic, civilian, pluralistic and deliberative system, and the elections for Parliament and President of the Republic on the basis of this Constitution.
Secondly, the phase of transition in this sense is the period that lies between the formation of a coalition authority after the fall of the regime, and the establishment of State institutions based on a permanent Constitution approved by the people. It will not exceed one year from the date of its beginning, and can be renewed once.
Thirdly, State institutions and political Authority during the transitional phase will be based on following basic principles:
- The people are the source of authority and provide the basis of legitimacy.
b) Syria is independent in its sovereignty and unity, peoples and land.
c) Genuine separation of the three powers: Legislature, Executive and Judiciary.
d) The protection of the foundations of civil democracy (essentially freedom of expression, association and assembly, and political pluralism and deliberative authority, and administrative decentralization).
e) Emphasis on the existence of the Kurdish nation as a part of the fundamental and historic structure of the Syrian nation, which requires the creation of a just democratic solution to the Kurdish issue within the unity of the country’s land and people, which is not at all inconsistent with the fact that Syria is an integral part of the Arab world.
f) All citizens are equal before the law in relation to the duties, civil and political rights, and economic, cultural and social rights. Freedom of religion and belief is guaranteed in the Constitution and respect for the rites and rituals of religions and sects, and refusal of sanctity over political and civil life.
g) Rejection of violence and national, sectarian, religious, sexual discrimination; standing against terrorism; for the eradication of corruption; and for the abolition of the special laws and decrees issued under the dictatorship and direct action to address its effects.
h) Initiation of sustainable development projects at the national level and in particular for the most disadvantaged areas.
i) Maintenance of the national territory and liberation of the Syrian land; establishing relations of brotherhood and cooperation with Arab countries, strong and commensurate relationships with other countries in the region, cooperation and mutual respect with the countries of the world; for democratic Syria to play an active role in Arab society, regionally and internationally; to serve supreme national interests; and for security, peace and stability in the region and the world.
j) Commitment to international covenants and agreements, the Charter of the United Nations and the Charter of the Arab League, and the International Bill of Human Rights.
k) To benefit from the framework of Syrian energy, both within and outside the country for the success of the transitional phase and to build the democracy in the Republic of Syria.
Regarding the legal and Constitutional references: a joint Committee will emerge from the Congress of the opposition, to work nationally to coordinate the positions of the opposition and to unite their political, legal, media, diplomatic and humanitarian relief activities. The parties involved will respect its decisions.
Signature
Burhan Ghalioun, President of the Syrian National Council,
Haytham Manna, Head of the National Coordination Body in Exile
Cairo, 30 December 2011
The Agreement was approved in the presence of: Walid al-Bunni, Haitham al-Maleh, Catherine al-Tali, Saleh Muslim Mohammed, Mohammad Hijazi.
Khalaf Dahowd
Member of the Executive Bureau of the National Coordination Body in Exile – NCB
Co-Chair: International Support Kurds in Syria Association – SKS
Tel: +447846964459
Web: www.supportkurds.org