Syrian tribes hail Egypt's efforts to settle crisis

CAIRO– 20 September 2017: Syrian Arab tribes and political powers have thanked Egypt and President Abdel Fatah Al-Sisi for Cairo's efforts to solve the Syrian crisis, to stop the bloodshed in Syria and to assert the country's territorial integrity.

This came in the final statement of the first consultative meeting of the Syrian Arab tribes and political powers in eastern Syria (Deir Ezor, Raqqah and Hasaka) which was held in Cairo on September 19-20.

The tribes and political powers asserted in their statement, read by Syrian writer and media man Dr Momtaz Al Sheikh, the unity of Syria and its people with its international borders and social structure and that eastern Syria is part and parcel of the Syrian state.

They called for activating the role of Arabs in the eastern area in combating terrorism in all its forms and parties. They called on the Russian Federation and the United States of America that the Arabs saying that Syrians in eastern Syria are those who have suffered terrorism and they shoulder the responsibility of liberating their territories under full Arab leadership.

The tribes called on all social and political factions in eastern Syria and in all Syria to cooperate and work together to achieve the joint national goals.

The meeting asserted that the political solution is the strategic option required, given the reality in Syria, and on which a democratic, civil and pluralistic state that secures social, economic and political rights for all its components will be based.

The meeting appealed to the Arab League, Egypt, the Arab Gulf states and all international humanitarian organizations to provide aid to the people of eastern Syria to ease the current catastrophic conditions there.

It asserted support for the Syrian elite operating within the framework of the international counter-terrorism coalition and the other Arab factions participating in the liberation process under an Arab leadership.

The statement said that an agreement was reached to form the Arab council of the Peninsula and Euphrates to represent the interests of the people and eastern Syria, their rights and role in running the affairs of their provinces and to have an effective participation in determining the future of Syria. It added that an executive authority, a bylaw and a program of action will be formed so the new body will be responsible before the general board of the council.

It said that the provinces of Deir Ezor, Raqqa and Hasakah in eastern Syria are facing an unknown destination as the conflict on them, run by several local, regional and international powers, is intensifying and it is expected to worsen into a direct military standoff among several parties.

"You all known the economic and geopolitical causes that make eastern Syrian a focus of intense conflict and could result in national and humanitarian disasters that add to the misery of the people, due to multiple terrorism which has ruined the fabric of the society and displaced millions of people," said the statement.

"This is happening in light of an almost complete absence of the Arab tribal and political powers and factions in these governorates that represent more than 80% of the population," it added.