DAMASCUS- In the presence of representatives from various social groups and factions, and in an atmosphere characterized by consensus and commitment to the supreme national interests, the National Dialogue Conference was held today at the People’s Palace in Damascus.
After the conference was opened by the President of the Republic, participants were divided into dialogue groups and began a transparent and comprehensive discussion on various critical issues, resulting in 18 outcomes.
The Final Statement of the conference affirmed:
– Preserving Syria’s unity and sovereignty over all its territories, and rejecting any form of fragmentation and division, or giving up any part of the homeland.
– Condemning the Israeli incursion into Syrian territory, considering it a blatant violation of the sovereignty of the Syrian state, and demanding Israel’s immediate and unconditional withdrawal.
Rejecting the provocative remarks by the Israeli Prime Minister and calling on the international community and regional organizations to assume their responsibilities towards the Syrian people and to pressure for an end to aggression and violations.
-Accelerating the issuance of a temporary constitutional declaration that goes in line with the requirements of the transitional phase and ensures the filling of the constitutional vacuum, thereby expediting the work of Syrian state institutions.
– Restricting weapons to the control of the state, building a professional national army, and considering any armed formations outside official institutions as outlaw groups.
– The necessity of expediting the formation of a temporary legislative council, which will undertake the tasks of the legislative authority, according to the standards of efficiency and fair representation.
– The formation of a constitutional committee to prepare a draft permanent constitution for the country, achieving a balance between powers, reinforcing the values of justice, freedom, and equality, and establishing a state of law and institutions.
– Enhancing freedom as a supreme value in society, considering it a precious gain that the Syrian people have paid for with their blood, and ensuring freedom of opinion and expression.
– Respecting human rights, supporting the role of women in all fields, protecting children’s rights, caring for individuals with disabilities, and activating the role of youth in the state and society.
– Establishing the principle of citizenship, rejecting all forms of discrimination based on race, religion, or sect, and achieving the principle of equal opportunities, away from ethnic and religious quotas.
– Achieving transitional justice through holding those responsible for crimes and violations accountable, reforming the judicial system, enacting necessary legislation, and establishing appropriate mechanisms to ensure justice and restore rights.
– Establishing the principle of peaceful coexistence among all components of the Syrian people, rejecting all forms of violence, incitement, and revenge, which enhances social stability and civil peace.
– Achieving political development based on principles that ensure the participation of all segments of society in political life, enacting appropriate laws for this purpose, and emphasizing procedures for political isolation based on fair foundations and criteria.
– Launching the wheel of economic development and developing the agriculture and industry sectors through adopting stimulating economic policies that enhance growth, encourage investment, and protect investors, while responding to the needs of the people and supporting the prosperity of the country.
– Calling for the lifting of international sanctions imposed on Syria, which have become a direct burden on the Syrian people after the fall of the regime, and which have exacerbated the Syrians’ suffering and hinderdd the reconstruction process and the return of displaced persons and refugees.
– Reforming public institutions, restructuring them and initiating a digital transformation process that enhances institutional efficiency, increases effectiveness, helps combat corruption and administrative inefficiency, and reviews employment criteria based on patriotism, integrity, and competence.
– Involving civil society institutions in supporting the community, activating the role of non-governmental organizations to assist government efforts in reconstruction and supporting the civil society organizations to ensure that they can play an effective role in achieving development and stability.
– Developing the educational system, reforming curricula and establishing plans aimed at bridging educational gaps, ensuring quality education, focusing on vocational education to create new job opportunities and linking education with technology to ensure a better future for the coming generations.
– Strengthening the culture of dialogue in Syrian society, continuing dialogues at various levels and finding appropriate mechanisms for that, and in commitment to the principle of transparency, a detailed report will be issued by the Preparatory Committee, presenting the contributions and opinions of the conferees at the National Dialogue Conference.
– In memory of the martyrs who sacrificed their lives so that we could gain our freedom, and for all the wounded, detainees, the disappeared, the displaced, their families and relatives, and for all those who made sacrifices from the Syrian people, this statement represents a national charter to which all active forces are committed, and it is an essential step in the process of building the new Syrian state, the state of freedom, justice and law.
Souha Soulaiman
