Kassioun Editorial 1234: Unifying the Interior, a Gateway to the Relationship with Outside

We pointed out in a previous editorial that no authority has the right to relinquish any part of Syrian territory, according to all previous Syrian constitutions, according to the Constitutional Declaration currently in effect, and in accordance with international law. We also pointed out that the issue of negotiating with foreign countries and reaching agreements on war or peace is the exclusive prerogative of an authority elected through fair and transparent elections that truly and effectively represents the will of Syrians, all Syrians. We add here the following:

First: The more fragile a state is internally, the weaker it will be in its external relations, whether that relationship involves dialogue, negotiation, or war. Conversely, for the outside world, the ideal moment for war or negotiation is the moment of maximum internal weakness.

Second: Accordingly, the primary task facing Syrians today – society, political forces, and the existing authorities – is to unite the Syrian people and their territory, and bring them together around a common national project and a shared national vision that will serve as the platform from which we launch any relationship with the outside, especially with regard to sovereign national affairs, which must not be relinquished under any circumstances.

Third: Without this unity and cohesion, Syrians will be the weaker, divided side in any relationship with the outside. Any relationship will be a losing one in the general national sense, and no Syrian side will gain from it, even if they imagine they are practicing some kind of “pragmatism” or “political realism.”

Fourth: Unifying Syrians is not only necessary for choosing to negotiate, or even choosing not to negotiate, with the Zionist entity, but it is also essential for all types of external relations, including those of an economic nature. The deeper the internal divisions, the more foreign companies and countries will be able to secure contracts that are more unfair to the Syrian people and state. BOO energy contracts are a prime example of this.

Therefore, what we should fight for today is the following:

First: Unifying Syrians through a comprehensive general national conference that will serve as a tool for Syrians to determine their own destiny, produce an inclusive and balanced national unity government, complete the unification of Syrian territory, and reshape the single national market.

Second: Severing completely with the mentality of monopolization and the ruling party, and activating genuine political participation and popular oversight through Syrians organizing themselves at various levels so that they can exercise their role effectively and in a manner that serves their interests and the interests of the country.

Third: Depending on the Syrian people, being frank with them, and relying on them in external relations; refraining from submitting to Western, especially American, political and economic extortion; and expanding the scope of international relations to benefit from international balances and contradictions, in a manner that ensures a higher level of independence of the Syrian decision-making. However, first and foremost, there is a need to rely on the Syrian people and their unity, the achievement of which represents the highest priority and the indispensable gateway to any future political or economic step.

(النسخة العربية)