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<\/a> we are adhered to this juncture which the seven years of war that our country passed through haven\u2019t been able to weaken, but they further strengthened it, and without that we as Syrians couldn\u2019t have been able to achieve victories over Takfiri terrorist groups and to make\u00a0 great sacrifices.\u201d<\/p>\n\u201cThese victories have created suitable conditions for this meeting to announce to the world that we, as Syrians, are able to meet and listen to each other to affirm that the national juncture unites us and to see how our homeland will be stronger and better because no one is more keen on Syria than the Syrians, and to tell whoever interested\u2026 hands\u00a0 off Syria and stop interfering in its affairs and igniting the fire of sedition and division\u2026as our people have suffered from the outrageous interventions after they used to be an example to follow in coexistence and the stability and security,\u201d Qalla\u2019a added.<\/p>\n
He affirmed that \u201cSyria will be only for the loyal national Syrians, and they alone have the right to decide their future.\u201d<\/p>\n
\u201cOn behalf of millions of the Syrian people, I call upon you to be merciful with our homeland and to unite our ranks in defending it against whoever wants evil for it, and to defend its sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity and to protect the national independent decision,\u201d Qalla\u2019a added.<\/p>\n
At the conclusion of his speech, Qalla\u2019a thanked the Russian leadership and people for their continued support to Syria and for hosting the National Dialogue Congress.<\/p>\n
Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, during the Congress opening, said that the Syrian people\u00a0 are the only ones who have the right to self-determination.<\/p>\n
He added that Syria, backed by Russian Aerospace Forces, managed to destroy the terrorist forces, emphasizing that now there are all appropriate conditions for ending the crisis<\/p>\n
The Russian Diplomat stressed that the Sochi Congress is a unique event since it represents different segments of Syrian society.<\/p>\n
Later, Director of the Institute of Oriental Studies at the Russian Academy of Sciences Vitaly Naumkin said in a press conference that the Sochi Congress isn\u2019t a replacement for the Geneva process; rather it assists it, He said that the Congress will discuss forming a committee to address constitutional issues, stressing that this will be carried out by the Syrians alone, as they are the only ones responsible for formulating the Syrian constitution.<\/p>\n On some delegations\u2019 refusal to participate in the Congress, Naumkin said that this will not affect the Congress\u2019 work or its results, and that such matters can be resolved as they can happen naturally anywhere.<\/p>\n On a relevant note, the participants \u00a0elected members of the board of the Congress \u00a0chairmanship .<\/p>\n The board is consisted of Ghassan Qalaa, Safwan Qudsi, Mohammad Maher Qabaqibi, Jamal Qadiri, Mais Kraidi, Amal Yazigi, Riyad Tawoz, Qadri Jamil, Haitham Manaa, Ahmad al-Jarba and Randah Qassiss. Members of the board elected Safwan Qudsi as Chairman of the Congress, Mohammad Maher Qabaqibi as Deputy Chairman and Mais Kraidi as Rapporteur of the Congress.<\/p>\n The participants also selected the members of the voting supervision committee, who are Alan Bakkour, Maw’id Nasser, Hassan Mohammad Munir Saudi, Salah Asaad, Saji Taameh, Ra’ed al-Ghadban, Mohammad Izzat Arabi Katbi, Mohannad Ghanem, Saad Lustan, and Bassam al-Battar, in addition to the special organizing committee members, who are Bashar Mutlaq, Khaled Khaza’al, Radwan Mustafa, Mohammad Tinawi, Mirna Dalala, Mohammad Zaher al-Yousfi, Mazen al-Hamdi, Ali al-Assi, Wassef al-Zab, and Mustafa Saleh.<\/p>\n<\/a> and is held with support from the UN which is represented by Envoy for Syrian Staffan de Mistura, adding that the propositions that are approved during the Congress will be taken to Geneva.<\/span><\/p>\n<\/a><\/p>\n<\/a>\n\t\t\t<\/div><\/figure>