In an interview with Al-Arabiya television channel, Syrian leader Ahmad al-Chareh said holding new elections would take more than four years. He notably called for a lifting of international sanctions against Syria and mentioned an imminent dissolution of HTS, without specifying a date.
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The revision of the Constitution, guaranteeing freedom of expression and demonstration, the rights of women and minorities, as well as the organization of future elections, occupied an important place in the assurances given by the new leader of Syria, Ahmad al-Chareh (formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Joulani, leader of the Islamist group HTS) to the Syrian people during this media intervention on Al-Arabiya, broadcast on the evening of Sunday, December 29, reports our special correspondent in Damascus, Mohamed Errami.
“ The electoral process could take four years “, said Ahmad al-Chareh, whose radical Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), at the head of a coalition, took Damascus on December 8 after a lightning offensive. He added that it would be necessary to “ rewrite the Constitution ”, a task that could take “ two or three years », in this interview with the Saudi channel.
Since coming to power, the new authorities have tried to reassure the international community, a large part of which had ostracized Bashar al-Assad at the start of the war in the country, triggered in 2011 by the repression of pro-democracy demonstrations.
What the new Syrian leader expects from Donald Trump
While the war has left more than half a million dead, caused millions to flee and fragmented and ravaged the country, Ahmad al-Chareh called for international sanctions to be lifted. “ Sanctions were imposed on Syria due to crimes committed by the regime » of Bashar al-Assad, he indicated, adding that given that the perpetrators of the abuses are no longer in power, “ sanctions must therefore be lifted automatically. »
Ahmad al-Chareh also sent several messages abroad during his statements. The first aimed to reassure neighboring countries, including Israel, that they would not be targeted or involved in a conflict with Syria.
He urged the next President of the United States, Donald Trump, not to follow the policies of the previous administration. He called for supporting Syrians in the reconstruction of their country, in particular by lifting the economic sanctions imposed on Syria.
What about Iran, Russia and Saudi Arabia?
He also issued an invitation to the countries directly involved in the Syrian crisis, namely Russia and Iran, asking them to respect the will of the Syrians and not to interfere in their internal affairs.
“ I think the Israelis justified their intervention in Syria by the presence of Iranian militias and Hezbollah in the country. But today, these justifications belong to the past », he judges.
“ Syria cannot continue without relations with a large country with regional weight like Iran, but these must be done on the basis of respect for the sovereignty of the two countries and without interference. “, he estimated.
“ Russia is an important country “, he said, speaking of interests “ deep strategic “. “ We do not want Russia to leave Syria the way some would like “, he added. He further said he expected Saudi Arabia to play a “ very important role » in Syria, where it could take advantage of “ great investment opportunities. »
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“ Weapons must only be in the hands of the state »
He also called for integration into the future army of the Kurdish-led and US-backed Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF), which have taken control of several regions in the northeast. “ Weapons must be in the hands of the state only “, said Ahmad al-Chareh, adding: it is on “ these criteria » than “ negotiations » will be carried out with the FDS « hoping to find a suitable solution. »
The new Syrian leader also indicated that the “ dissolution of HTS » would be announced during a “ national dialogue conference » which will be “ inclusive and will represent all Syrians “. He did not specify a date.
Since taking office, the transitional government led by Mohammad al-Bashir has promised to respect the rights of the country’s multi-ethnic and multi-religious minorities, as well as those of women. However, a statement from a member of the new administration sparked an outcry this week. In an interview with a Turkish television channel, Aisha al-Debs, president of the “Women’s Affairs Bureau” and the only woman in the government, called on women to “ not overstepping the priorities of their God-created nature ”, namely “ their educational role within the family. »
On Sunday, as if to calm things down, the head of Syrian diplomacy, Assaad Hassan al-Chibani, affirmed on X that the authorities supported “ fully » women’s rights. “ We believe in the active role of women in society, and we have confidence in their abilities and skills. “, he clarified.
In the streets of Damascus, Syrians torn between confidence and impatience
Millions of Syrians closely followed the statements of the Commander-in-Chief of the Syrian Military Operations Administration, Ahmad al-Shareh, when he spoke to Arab media about the time needed for Syria to regain its balance political and economic. Some showed their confidence, while others expressed their impatience at the microphone of our special correspondent in Damascus, Mohamed Errami.
Reactions in the streets of Damascus following Ahmad al-Chareh’s statements on the Al-Arabiya channel