A delegation of opponents to the Syrian Arab Republic and members of the Middle East Institute (photo) were received at the State Department and the US Congress this week.

The opposition to the Syrian Arab Republic sits abroad and its representatives are not elected by the Syrian people. This faction must be distinguished from the Syrian opposition within the Republic, which has elected representatives before the People’s Assembly. Both oppositions are actors in the Geneva negotiations.

This delegation was composed of:
– Salem al-Meslet, president of the national coalition;
– Abdulhakeem Bashar, President of the Kurdish National Council;
– Anas Al-Abdeh, President of the Negotiating Commission;
– and Hadi Al-Bahra, President of the Constitutional Committee.

It hoped to obtain that President Joe Biden will
– oppose any recognition of the Syrian Arab Republic;
– oppose the lifting of sanctions;
– oppose the reconstruction of Syria.

This agenda is the continuation of the action piloted by the US "deep state", and drawn up by Ambassador Jeffrey Feltman in 2017, when he was UN assistant secretary-general [1]. Mr. Feltman is currently the director of the Middle East Institute. This Think Tank is chaired by Richard A. Clarke, the man who triggered the “continuity of government plan” on September 11, 2001.

It seems that the State Department has so far only pledged to withhold recognition of the Syrian Arab Republic (the “regime” as referred to in the West) while most European embassies have opened up to Damascus and that Egypt, Jordan and Tunisia are preparing to normalize their diplomatic relations.

[1] “Parameters and Principles of UN assistance in Syria”, by Jeffrey D. Feltman, Voltaire Network, 15 October 2017.