News
The Minister of Foreign Affairs receives members of the Syrian opposition from the Druze minority
Also participating in the meeting were representatives of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (NCSROF).
November 14, 2014
MADRID
13/11/2014
As part of a series of meetings organized by the “Cordoba Group,” consisting of various groups of the Syrian opposition, which have been held in Spain in recent months, the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation, José Manuel García-Margallo, received the participants during a meeting today at the Palace of Santa Cruz. The meeting with the opposition members belonging to the Druze minority is being held on November 14 at Casa Árabe. Also participating in the meeting were representatives of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (NCSROF).
The prior meetings organized by the Cordoba group this year were held in the months of June (Kurdish minority), July (Yazidi) and October (Assyrian and Syriac).
The Minister expressed Spain’s concern for the horrific humanitarian situation in Syria, the loss of human lives, the destruction, the violations and abuse of fundamental human rights, the high number of refugees and internally displaced persons, and the precarious living conditions amongst these people and the population as a whole. In this respect, he reminded those attending that Spain contributed to the humanitarian aid in Syria with the sum of 8.8 million euros up to the end of 2013 and has already committed 3.25 million more this year.
García-Margallo reiterated to these intermediaries that there is a need to seek a solution based on a political agreement between the government and opposition, in accordance with the parameters established in the Geneva communiqué of 2012, which urges the parties to promote the establishment of a transitional governing body able to create a neutral environment for the holding of free and fair elections.