The Security Council must intervene

The chairman of the Syrian National Council (SNC), the umbrella Syrian opposition group, Burhan Ghalioun stands by his refusal to negotiate with the regime in Damascus, adding that the transition period in Syria will start after Bashar Al-Assad leaves. The SNC is comprised of Syrian exiles, some living in western capitals for many years. They want a constitution for a free, democratic and pluralist Syria. In an interview with ‘Arabstoday’, during his visit to Cairo where he met Arab League Secretary General, Nabil Al-Arabi, Ghalioun called on the United Nations Security Council to intervene to end the Syrian crisis. Ghalioun was steadfast in his refusal to hold talks with Assad’s regime. “He is killing the Syrian people,” he said, adding: "Bashar has lost his legitimacy as a president because of his crimes against his people, especially women and children." Regarding the Arab League decision to internationalize the Syrian crisis by heading to the UN Security Council, Ghalioun said that the decision came after the organisation realised that the Syrian regime was escalating violence and killing people, praising the Arab plan that called for Assad to hand power to his deputy as a prelude to political transition. About the Syrian crisis, Ghalioun said the SNC was for planning for the day after Assad is removed from office. Immediately following the collapse of the regime, they would announce a national reconciliation process, as in South Africa, he said. They would also learn the lessons of Libya and maintain the institutions responsible for order. "Syria is unlike Libya. There is still a functioning state and institutions. We still have a legal and judicial system. "There will not be chaos like in Libya. We still have powerful military institutions that we want to preserve." Regarding the international community's support for the Syrian revolution, Ghalioun said: "We're asking the international community to assess every possible option to create and enforce a safe zone in Syria and to stop the atrocities being committed in Syrian towns." "We don't want international intervention to replace the Syrian revolution. We want it to support the Syrian revolution." Syria has witnessed anti-regime protests since mid-March. The United Nations estimates that more than 5,400 civilians have already died, while other human rights groups have pegged the death toll at more than 7,000.