اتصل بنا

In the Name of Allah, Most Compassionate, Most Merciful

Conference Final Statement

Founding Conference for the National Salvation Front for Syria

4-5 June 2006

At a highly sensitive, and complex time, both nationally and internationally, the founding assembly of the National Salvation Front held meetings on 4-5/6/2006 to discuss the general conditions in the country, and to approve the Front’s regulations, policies and future plans.

The Front in saluting the noble nationalist stance of all the forces of the free Syrian opposition, and saluting the steadfastness of those persons of free will, which the regime has put behind bars... strongly affirms that it is an indivisible part of the general nationalist movement, and that it is not a substitute for any nationalist opposition grouping, including the Damascus Declaration, which it considers a cornerstone in the pro-active nationalist opposition movement.

The delegates to the conference asserted that their strategic option is changing the regime, which was established on unlawful assumption of power and coercion, and had lost all justification for existence, by continuing in policies of capitulation, and in provoking conflict with its Arab neighbours, while continuing in policies of oppression, corruption, and monopoly on all aspects of Syrian life.

The policy of adventurism followed by the regime has greatly harmed the country, and placed it at the centre of great dangers. The regime carries full responsibility for all the results of this policy, since it is a regime without legitimacy.

The delegates affirmed their commitment to the objectives of the National Salvation Front, and it is working methods which were announced in (the National Salvation Front Project for Change) in Brussels dated 16-17 March 2006, which demanded the construction of a modern democratic and civil state in Syria, based on plurality, peaceful transfer of power, and system of institutions, where the free and fair ballot box is the expression of the general collective will of its people, without violation of the rights of any grouping; religious or ethnic minority, or sect. Because the Syria that we strive for, is the Syria of everyone, on the basis of equality, and mutuality, demarcated by a modern constitution in which everyone participates in formulating and approving.

Fellow citizens, the ruling family is fomenting sectarian strife in the country, through the rumours it spreads, of the ‘Alawis being the target; the National Salvation Front is committed to what the ‘Alawis themselves hold firm to, in terms of national and Islamic belonging, and that they are part of the general fabric, sharing as all citizens, the rights of citizenship and its responsibilities. The National Salvation Front is confident that the ‘Alawi group—victims of the corrupt ruling family—will be a partner in the democratic change, and reconstruction of the country.

The Baath Arab Socialist party is one of the victims of the regime; therefore the National Salvation Front invites Baathists to join the masses of our people to achieve the liberation of Syria from a corrupt and repressive regime.

The huge injustice that has been visited on Kurdish citizens, our partners in nation and destiny, is a matter that requires that this injustice be lifted, and its outcomes treated in the framework of national unity, citizen's rights, and exercise of political, cultural, economic, and social rights, on equal footing to all forces and constituents of the Syrian people, as shall be defined by the new constitution.

Citizens; the National Salvation Front, having concluded discussion of its conference agenda... has decided the following:

In terms of the Front:

1. Emphasis on the fundamental aims of the National Salvation Front, as endorsed in the Brussels Conference.

2. The Front has approved its working plans for the coming phase.

3. The Front has ratified its internal regulations, structure, and financial regime.

4. The Front welcomed the increasing numbers joining its founding conference, and it invites all nationalist forces to join it, and work together to achieve the general nationalist aim.

5. The delegates emphasised the need to strengthen the woman's role in political activism, and to enshrine equality in social, civil, and political life. They also called for a focus on the youth, and formulating future programmes to galvanise their role, and extract their efforts.

6. The Front elected its central committee, and general secretariat.

In the domestic sphere:

The invitation, in agreement with all nationalist forces, to form an interim government, for a maximum period of six months, at the time appropriate for its formation; this government would carry out the following:

1. Ratify the 1950 Constitution until such a time as a new constitution is approved.

2. Exercise their role of executive and legislative authority, during the interim period.

3. End the state of emergency, and all special and exceptional measures and laws that violate the rights and freedoms of the citizen, at the foreFront, Law No. 49 of 1980, that sentences any affiliate of the Muslim Brotherhood to death.

4. The granting of citizenship to those from whom it had been revoked for political reasons.

5. Issue a decree granting citizenship to Syrian Kurds as found in the 1962 Census.

6. Closing all pending humanitarian cases, involving prisoners of conscience, the disappeared, and those expelled.

7. Cancelling all decisions, and measures confiscating assets for political or ethnic reasons and their return to rightful owners.

8. Developing the law for general elections, guaranteeing equality, fairness, and fair representation for all citizens.

9. The elected council formulates a new constitution, and exercises legislative authority, and from it a new government is formed.

In the Arab sphere:

1. Emphasis on solidarity and mutual support between Arab States as a condition safeguarding security, advance, prosperity and sovereignty, avoiding the byproducts of changing international conditions on the security of these States.

2. Striving to liberate all occupied Arab lands, at the forefront the occupied Golan Heights, supporting the Palestinian people in preserving national unity and recovering fundamental rights, at their head, establishing an independent state with its capital Jerusalem, and the right to self-determination and return, in accordance with the decisions of international legitimacy.

3. Supporting the unity of Lebanon, its independence and stability, establishing relationships based on brotherhood and mutuality, away from all forms of hegemony and control, and inviting the Lebanese to distinguish between the regime and the Syrian people.

4. Inviting all parties in Iraq to preserve national unity, and avoid the slide into sectarian or ethnic conflict, safeguarding the unity and future of Iraq, and to achieve the removal of foreign troops, and the end of occupation.

5. Dispatching messages and delegations to all parties and organisations in the Arab World to explain the status quo of Syria, and it's suffering in the shadow of an oppressive and corrupt regime.

On the regional and international sphere:

1. Inviting international forces to understand the suffering of the Syrian people, and avoid contributing anything that would lead to prolonging the life of the regime, and work at stripping away international cover for it.

2. Dispatching messages to member States of the Security Council, the UN secretary general, the European Commission, the Organisation of the Islamic Conference, the General-Secretariat of the Arab League, heads of Arab, Muslim, and other States... clarifying the current conditions which Syria suffers, and exposing the crimes of the regime against the Syrian people.

3. Invitation to the international community, especially the Security Council, UN agencies, parties, and human rights organisations... to take firm steps to protect the Syrian people from an oppressive regime, which uses all means of oppression, repression, and violence against the people, violating all laws, international conventions, and the values that guarantee basic rights for the people.

4. Emphasis in that dealing with the international situation must be based on: first: safeguarding the interests of the Syrian people; second: not interfering in the internal affairs of other peoples, and that this dealing not be used to cover for policies of injustice, oppression and corruption.

Dear fellow citizens in beloved Syria...

The National Salvation Front invites you in all your positions, political, cultural, economic, social; men, women, youth, elderly, workers, foreigners, religious scholars, intellectuals, industrialists, business people, lawyers, doctors, engineers, craftspeople, teachers... invite you all to reflect on the situation that the country finds itself in, off; poverty, hunger, declining living standards, unemployment, economic recession, reduced buying power, the rising budget deficit... which has humiliated Syrians and weakened the country... the situation will only increase in peril in the coming few years, when Syria is transformed into an oil importing country, with all the dangers this has on the infrastructure of state and society, due to the continuation of the state of oppression, confiscation of freedoms, making the country live in a state of fear, at a time when it confronts great dangers.

There is no doubt that the regime will fall, since it has lost all the reasons for continued survival, so -- fellow citizens -- breakdown the barriers of fear that have been planted over decades, as did your forefathers, when they gained independence for Syria.

The National Salvation Front invites the armed forces to shoulder national and historic responsibility, to be the Army of the people... your choice of nation and people is what will put right your historic role, and let the responsibility for the protection of the nation and its people, not protection of the corrupt and oppressive... preserve your role in protecting the nation, land and persons.

The National Salvation Front invites the security forces, especially its officers used by the regime to inflict injustice on the citizens, blackmail them and abuse them... to live up to their moral and national responsibilities, and refuse to obey the orders of the corrupt group that all of you know is corrupt and oppressive—to continue means to participate in the crimes of the regime, which shall have its consequences, the regime shall fall no doubt, and the corrupt leaders will flee with their persons and wealth abroad, while you shall be left to suffer the criminal and human rights responsibility.

Fellow Syrian citizens...

The National Salvation Front gives you its word to work with you, for the salvation of Syria, its liberation from oppression, for its renaissance and to regain its historic role and status, so rudely squandered by the regime.

“…And say act… for your deeds shall be held forward to account in front of the Messenger and the Believers”

London, 5 June 2006

Founding Assembly

National Salvation Front for Syria