America and European countries: The elections in Syria will not be fair
The foreign ministers of the United States, France, Germany and Britain issued a statement marking the 10th anniversary of the Syrian revolution regarding the presidential elections scheduled to be held this year in Syria.
The joint statement stated that the presidential elections will not be free and fair and will not meet the aspirations of the international community, indicating that the people in Syria took to the streets 10 years ago for legitimate demands, which the Assad regime met violently.
The statement thanked all those who documented the crimes of the Assad regime and its supporters, human rights violations and violations of international law in Syria, stressing the need for nearly 13 million people in Syria for humanitarian aid.
The statement added, “There are millions of Syrians hosted by Turkey, Jordan, Lebanon, Iraq and Egypt, or who are refugees in them, who cannot return to their homes for fear of violence, arbitrary detention and torture.”
The statement said: “The proposed Syrian presidential elections this year will not be free or fair, and will not lead to any step towards the international normalization of the Syrian regime, and any political process requires the participation of all Syrians, including those abroad and refugees.”
In the statement, the four countries declared their support for a peaceful solution under the umbrella of the United Nations, noting the need for the Assad regime and its supporters to return to the political solution negotiations as soon as possible, and that it is unacceptable for the Assad regime to remain without accountability.
The statement called for a comprehensive ceasefire in the country, pointing to its support for all efforts of the United Nations Special Envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen, including those related to humanitarian aid.
On March 15, 2011, the spark of the Syrian revolution was launched peacefully from the city of Daraa, following the first moves of its kind in the street calling for freedom and the overthrow of the Assad regime, which has ruled the country for 50 years.
