Riyadh: The umbrella group representing Syria’s political and armed opposition factions has written to United States President-elect Donald Trump urging him to help stop the bloody civil war that began in 2011.
In the letter, the High Negotiations Committee’s general co-ordinator Riyad Hijab congratulated Trump on winning Tuesday’s US presidential election “on behalf of millions of Syrians who long for peace and freedom” and implored him to “find the most rapid and effective way to protect civilians, alleviate their suffering and bring peace and security to our region”.
Trump’s victory “is an historic opportunity to deepen friendly ties that we wish to grasp in order to strengthen mutual trust and cooperation,” the letter said.
Members of the Syrian opposition took part in talks last year in Moscow aimed at ending the conflict and met members of Trump’s team during his electoral campaign, US-based Arab sources told Adnkronos International (AKI).
During the meetings, the Syrian opposition members voiced support for Trump and said they were ready to build better relations with the US if Trump won the presidential race, the sources told AKI.
The Syrian opposition members “did not meet any member of (Democrat presidential) candidate Hillary Clinton’s campaign team,” the sources said.
–IANS