HM the King sends message to participants in 4th ministerial conference of the Friends of Syria Group

PERSISMA, Marrakech – HM King Mohammed IV sent a message to participants in the 4th ministerial conference of the Friends of Syria Group which opened on Wednesday morning in Marrakech.

Here follows the full text of the message read out by Foreign minister Saad Dine El Otmani.

Praise be to God

May peace and blessings be upon the Prophet, His Kith and Kin

Your Excellencies,

Ladies and Gentlemen,

We are proud the Kingdom of Morocco – the land of dialogue and concord – is hosting the Fourth Ministerial Meeting of the Friends of the Syrian People’s Group, which is being attended by a large – and ever-increasing – number of high-level representatives of sister nations and influential regional and international organizations and agencies. Also actively taking part in the meeting is the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, and its participation reinforces the International Group and enhances its ability to lend the brotherly Syrian people support in their struggle.

We hope the Marrakech conference will mark an important step in bringing the cycle of violence in Syria to an end, and in achieving Syrians’ legitimate aspirations for democracy and freedom, making sure Syria’s sovereignty is respected and its national unity and territorial integrity are safeguarded.

We therefore pin considerable hopes on positive results from this meeting and look forward to a tangible contribution from this active Group in order to bolster international efforts and UN endeavors designed to find a political solution to the crisis, support the process of political transition in this country which is steeped in history, and mobilize means and resources to provide urgent humanitarian relief to hundreds of thousands of Syrians inside and outside Syria.

We are particularly alarmed at the horrendous spiral of violence Syria has been witnessing for the past twelve months and at its adverse repercussions on neighboring countries and the region in general. We keenly look forward to seeing security and stability restored in the country and are firmly convinced of the fairness and legitimacy of the Syrian people’s demands for freedom, democracy and dignity.

This particularly serious and tragic situation is calling out to the conscience of mankind, given the ever-growing numbers of dead and wounded, tortured citizens, displaced persons and refugees. The numbers are set to increase dramatically if there is no resolute international reaction, especially as the Syrian regime has threatened to resort to weapons of mass destruction and carry out particularly lethal operations.

I therefore call upon Security Council Member States to fully shoulder their responsibilities with respect to preserving peace and security and to adopting a unified, resolute stance as quickly as possible to spare the Syrian people further tragedy and suffering, and to support the transfer of power in Syria for the establishment of a democratic, multi-party system, in which all representatives and components of the Syrian people would be involved. This should prevent a conflict spillover and avert negative implications for neighboring countries and the entire region.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

I cannot but applaud the dynamism of the Syrian opposition for unifying the full spectrum of political opinion, at home and abroad. It culminated in the Doha Declaration on the establishment of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, headed by Sheikh Moaz al-Khatib.

This is a major political achievement for the Syrian opposition, which gives it legitimacy in the transition period, considering the trust placed in the Coalition by the Syrian people and its ability to fulfill their hopes in terms of building a democratic Syrian state committed to pluralism.

This accomplishment should facilitate not only the mission of the Friends of the Syrian People’s Group, but also the task of the members of the international community – states and organizations alike – enabling them to provide support to the Coalition in a collective, efficient and orderly manner, according to each one’s capabilities and competences.

Such an achievement will also help enhance interaction and contacts with the Coalition as the legitimate and credible representative in all matters relating to the Syrian crisis at this crucial juncture in the history of the valiant Syrian people. Ladies and Gentlemen,

In keeping with its principles and time-honored traditions as an advocate of the causes of peace, freedom and justice, in accordance with its commitment to its Arab and international obligations, as an active member of the League of Arab States, of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation and of the United Nations Organization, and in its capacity as the only Arab non-permanent member of the UN Security Council, the Kingdom of Morocco confirms its constant, responsible and effective involvement in the international community’s untiring efforts in this regard.

As a result, the Kingdom of Morocco has been actively involved in the Arab League observer mission and the United Nations observer mission provided for under the UN plan to resolve the Syrian crisis.

My country has also participated in a responsible manner in the meetings held by the Friends of the Syrian People’s Group in Tunisia, Istanbul and Paris, as well as in all the meetings of the working groups affiliated with the Friends of the Syrian People’s Group that deal respectively with sanctions and the task of re-building the Syrian economy.

Responding to a request to provide relief and support to the Syrian people, the Kingdom of Morocco promptly set up a field hospital, which offers medical treatment and surgical procedures to camp populations, in the Zaatari Camp, in the sister nation the Hashemite Kingdom of Jordan. The Kingdom has also continued to provide various forms of support to refugees, either directly or through the UN High Commissioner for Refugees, in the sister nation Jordan and, more recently, in Turkey, to which food supplies and a large number of cold weather tents have been sent.

As a matter of fact, the deterioration of the Syrian people’s humanitarian situation – both inside and outside the country – calls for the establishment of a specific, efficient UN mechanism that can protect civilians, deliver and distribute aid to displaced persons, refugees and all citizens affected by the violence, in cooperation with states and international, regional and Syrian humanitarian relief organizations, and in coordination with local organizations operating under the banner of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces.

Ladies and Gentlemen,

Our ultimate goal is to fully develop suitable approaches and draw up appropriate plans to help the sister nation Syria overcome the serious crisis it is going through and achieve the desired democratic transition in order to preserve Syria’s sovereignty and safeguard its national unity and territorial integrity.

The coherence and agreement prevailing today within the Friends of the Syrian People’s Group regarding this drawn-out tragedy underscore the need to speed up the political transition in order to spare the Syrian people further violence and bloodshed, and increase the chances of building a new, pluralist Syrian state for the benefit of all Syrians.

Welcome to your home from home. May Almighty God grant you every success and help you make this conference a landmark event in our endeavors to provide support to the brave Syrian people so as to help them overcome their ordeal and look forward to a better future in which all segments of the Syrian population can enjoy freedom, serenity, progress and prosperity in a united, secure and stable country. Wassalamu alaikum warahmatullah wabarakatuh.