The Syrian Opposition and the Cordoba Declaration
For the Rule of Law in SyriaJanuary 9-10, 2014. CORDOBA
January 20, 2014
On January 9-10, the members of various movements and civil society belonging to the Syrian opposition held a meeting for consultation in Cordoba. Proposed as an initiative fully forming part of the international community’s efforts to seek a negotiated political solution to the conflict, with complete respect for Syria’s sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity, the meeting was held in a constructive atmosphere in which 130 Syrian citizens managed to reach points of consensus.
This constitutes an achievement in and of itself, given the ethnic, religious, regional and gender diversity which characterized the participants. More specifically, members of various moderate groups attended, including the National Coalition of Syrian Opposition and Revolutionary Forces, the Syrian National Council, the National Development Party, think-tanks, universities, civil society movements, religious authorities and representatives of the Free Syrian Army.
First session of meetings. Cordoba. Photo: Lola Araque / Casa Árabe
Meeting with García-Margallo
On January 9, Spanish Foreign Minister García-Margallo met at Casa Árabe with members of the organizing committee that promoted this initiative and was able to get a first-hand account about the current situation on the ground in Syria. The minister expressed a message of deep concern to them about how the Syrian conflict is developing: more than 125,000 dead, millions of refugees and internally displaced persons, and a proliferation of extremist forces with a heavy presence of foreign combatants, a factor which is making it exceedingly difficult to establish a ceasefire.
After this, the Minister of Foreign Affairs addressed all of the Syrians attending with a welcome message in which he reminded them of Spain’s position on the conflict: only a negotiated political solution is possible to put an end to the bloodshed, and the Geneva II Conference is the best opportunity that exists right now. Spain is committed to restoring peace in the country, and it is offering Spain’s experience with the transition to democracy.
Meeting with Minister García-Margallo in Cordoba’s Mosque. Cordoba. Photo: Lola Araque / Casa Árabe
Two Messages: To the Syrian People and the International Community
The Cordoba Declaration is a communiqué which reaffirms Syria’s territorial and national unity, while calling for the holding of a conference for national salvation inside of the country or a neighboring country. According to the document, Syria must be a plural State with the rule of Law, in which the rights of all people are respected, regardless of their ethnicity, religion or gender.
Likewise, it makes reference to the need to avoid external interference within the country. In addition to requesting the international community’s support for those who fight against Bashar al-Assad’s regime, the document highlights the importance of forming as broad an alliance as possible amongst the opposition movements.
The document defends a political solution as a priority path towards allowing peace to prevail in Syria. This solution, they acknowledge, requires a regime change, with the formation of a transitional government that has full powers. In order to achieve this objective, a ceasefire is necessary, as well as barrier-free access to humanitarian aid, in line with the words spoken yesterday by García-Margallo. Likewise, the impunity of those involved in war crimes is rejected.
In their message to the international community, the Syrian opposition members request to have fulfillment of the Geneva I Accord form the foundation of the Geneva II Conference, and they ask for international assurances of compliance with any agreements which are reached at the upcoming meeting to be held in Switzerland.
As declared by the State Secretary of Foreign Affairs, Gonzalo de Benito, in his speech during the closing event at the Cordoba meeting, Spain, which has always been committed to a political solution to the conflict, expresses its satisfaction over the holding of this meeting and its results, and it hopes that it may contribute to sending a clear message in favor of a successful future Peace Conference in Geneva.
During the closing session. Cordoba. Photo: Lola Araque / Casa Árabe
The meeting was the subject of widespread coverage by journalists at the local, national and international levels.
Casa Árabe and the Spanish Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Cooperation facilitated this meeting, providing the necessary logistical support. The European Union, too, through the European Foreign Action Service, as well as the UNESCO Professorship for Conflict Resolution at the University of Cordoba, provided their cooperation for the holding of this event.
