Statement by Foreign Minister Nickolay Mladenov after his meeting with President of the Syrian National Council, Burhan Ghalioun:
02 December 2011 NewsToday I met with representatives of the Syrian National Council.
First, I want to thank Professor Burhan Ghalioun that the delegation chose to visit Sofia and for the opportunity for fruitful discussions on the situation in Syria.
Bulgaria and Syria are close not only geographically. Many Syrians have chosen our country as a second home, and many Bulgarian citizens have families in Syria. With the Syrian people, we have ties of friendship, many mixed marriages, and many Syrians have graduated from Bulgarian universities. All of this does not allow us to be indifferent to the future of this country.
Unfortunately, recent months have seen a steadily worsening situation there. According to official figures, more than 3000 people have been killed in clashes between security forces and protesters. We have reasonable grounds to believe that the real data are much more tragic. In recent weeks, in some parts of the country a humanitarian crisis is underway.
Bulgaria has repeatedly directed messages to the Syrian authorities that violence must be stopped immediately, that the guilty should be punished, and that reforms are inevitable, mandatory and must be started immediately.
Unfortunately, all these messages have been to no avail - the violence continues, the humanitarian situation is deteriorating, and Syria refuses to comply with the recommendations of the League of Arab States, EU and UN.
Today there is only one way out of the situation in Syria – a categorical cessation of the violence, allowing the admission of international observers from the League of Arab States, ensuring humanitarian access to the population and the organizing of free elections.
This is an appropriate place to welcome the leading role of the Arab League in seeking a peaceful way out. Yesterday I had the opportunity to discuss with Nabil el-Araby, Secretary General of the League of Arab States, how the EU can support their efforts. I would like to welcome the efforts by our common neighbour Turkey to deal with the waves of refugees fleeing the violence in Syria. Bulgaria is ready to support these efforts.
Today's meeting marked the start of intensive dialogue between Bulgaria and the Syrian National Council, which we see as an important partner in dialogue on the future of Syria.
The creation of the NSC was an important step towards the unification of the Syrian opposition. I would like to quote the political agenda of the Syrian National Council, which states that “the purpose of the Syrian National Council is to build a democratic, pluralist and civil state”. This is an end that we welcome and share.
For everyone in the EU today, it is important to see a common vision for the future of Syria, which guarantees the rights of religious and ethnic minorities - Alevi, Christians, Kurds, Druze, all who make up the diversity of Syria.
The purpose of our talks was to discuss the situation in Syria and to exchange views on how to find a political solution, a way out of this crisis and to avoid a civil war.
We have seen with growing concern a dangerous tendency for the situation to be destabilized.
We have reaffirmed our strong support for the League of Arab States initiative for a peaceful solution to the crisis, as well as their concern about the refusal of the government in Damascus to take the initiative, regardless of the arguments that it offers for its refusal.
Bulgaria will continue to support more intensive dialogue with all Syrian opposition groups, to support the efforts of the League of Arab States, and to constantly send messages to Damascus about the urgent need for an end to violence and for the holding of free elections.