UNITED NATIONS, July 17 (KUNA) -- Dr. Basma Kodmani, Head of the foreign relations in the Syrian National Council (SNC) Tuesday warned that if the western-drafted resolution in the Security Council with anti-Assad sanctions fails to be adopted because of a Russian veto, her opposition group will seek other options with other friends and regional groups to provide humanitarian and protection means to the Syrian people.
She told a press conference, along with other SNC members, "we support the current efforts by members of the UNSC to push for a resolution under chapter VII of the UN Charter as a very last chance for breathing life into (Annan's six-point) plan. Should the current attempt fails, the SNC will explore other alternatives with international and regional friends in order to provide much needed humanitarian protection for the Syrian people and support for its basic right to self-defense in face of the regime's killing machine".
She recalled that the SNC has embraced and supported diplomatic efforts for a peaceful path leading to a democratic transition in Syria, and has, in coordination with the Free Syrian Army, accepted and adhered to the six points contained in the Annan initiative despite the complete refusal by the Assad regime to abide by any item of the plan".
"Regrettably, ... the plan has failed to achieve any of its objectives. The regime maintained the appalling level of violence and escalated its flagrant brutality against the population. The absence of enforcing mechanisms and the lack of any stipulation of consequences for regime non-compliance has hereto rendered the Annan plan in its current form ineffective and led to a complete loss of trust in its viability by the Syrians," she noted.
She expressed hope that all "respected" members of the Council will rise to their moral and humane responsibility to end the suffering of the Syrian people by conveying a "unified message" to the Assad regime that "its failure to adhere to the UN and Arab League Special Envoy proposed steps will no longer be free of consequences".
She indicated that any veto in the Council would be interpreted by President Assad as a "blank check" to continue his massacres, and any plan that does not bring protection to the Syrian people will allow the situation to drift.
Najib Ghadban, a SNC member, also told the conference that Annan's plan didn't have consequences, or a timeframe, or empowered with Chapter VII from the beginning.
He also criticized Annan for speaking all the time to the regime and not to the Syrian people.
The group also criticized the draft resolution for not including a reference to the International Criminal Court (ICC).
Kadmani said the Syrian opposition may be fractured, "but we are united on the objective" which is to end the Assad regime. "There is remarkable unity there," she stressed.
She told KUNA "nobody is talking about military option. What we are speaking about now is to send a strong message from the international community, along with Russia, and that will hopefully force the regime to realize that there is no more cover for its crimes".
The Security Council is set to vote shortly on a Western-drafted resolution that would extend the UN observers Mission for 45 days and threaten the regime with sanctions if it does not pull its heavy weapons from the streets within ten days from the adoption of the resolution. (end) sj.bs KUNA 180040 Jul 12NNNN