UN may remove Syrian rebel group HTS from terror list if conditions met

Source; The Guardian

             Firsrtpost

UN may remove Syrian rebel group HTS from terror list if conditions met

According to a senior source at the United Nations, if the Syrian rebel group that overthrew Bashar al-Assad's administration passes the crucial test of establishing a truly inclusive transitional government, the organization may be removed off the designated terrorist list.

The possibility of removing Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) off the UN's list of prohibited terrorist organizations was hinted at by the special envoy for Syria. He said the group could not, however, seek to govern Syria as it controlled Idlib, the northern province where the group had its headquarters and led the armed revolt that led to the sudden overthrow of the Assad regime.

Pedersen added that the situation was quite unstable and that Syria was still at a crossroads. 

He called the development "extremely troubling" and asked Israel to immediately stop its air and ground attacks inside Syria. "The barrage must end," he declared. He went on to say that Israel had violated the 1974 disengagement pact with the UN with its operations in the Golan Heights.

In a secret session on Monday, Pedersen had addressed the UN security council, informing it that the armed groups in Damascus were showing hopeful early signs of cooperation and a desire to defend the state institutions that were already in place.

Regarding the question of whether HTS will become a terrorist organization in the future, he stated that it was indisputable that the al-Nusra Front, the organization that preceded HTS, UN resolution 2254 designated it as a terrorist organization. He said, "It is a complicated factor for every one of us."

"We must examine the facts and be truthful. Since the resolution was issued nine years ago, HTS and other armed factions have been spreading positive signals to the Syrian people about inclusivity and unity. There have been comforting developments in Aleppo and Hama.

He went on to say, "What I'm saying is Syria can't be run like Idlib," and claimed there was no doubt that HTS was a militant Islamist group with its main office located in the Idlib province. He added that in order to get around the problem of terrorist classification, HTR had itself talked about destroying the organization and changing its image to one that was openly opposed to international terrorism.

"The international community at the United Nations has been united in pushing for a cohesive Syria run by a transitional body that is inclusive of all communities," Pedersen said during his briefing in Geneva. There is a chance that beneath this show of solidarity, there are competing groups and nations looking to further their own agendas.

In an address in Geneva, Pedersen said: "In Damascus, we need to focus on inclusive and genuine transitional procedures.

 As a result, we require inclusive and well-organized structures that guarantee the widest possible representation of Syrian parties and society. We run the risk of another Syrian conflict if this doesn't happen.

"So far, armed groups' attitude is generally good, but it is important that we witness this implemented in practice on the momentum," he added.

He acknowledged that Syria was governed by a patchwork of organizations that were not officially united but were generally working together. He said that Sunday's attacks on public institutions and looting of private residences had been contained.

Pedersen outlined three immediate areas of concern outside of Damascus: Israel's incursions into Syria; ongoing fighting between the Syrian Kurds and the Syrian national army in the northeast; and the fate for the Alawite population around the Russian naval installation on the Syrian coast.

The ability of Turkey and Qatar, two nations with some influence over HTS and other armed organizations, to stop ethnic and sectarian tensions from escalating in Damascus is a crucial test. Pedersen has maintained an occasionally ineffective public image in recent years, mostly because no outside party appeared prepared to pressure Assad to engage in dialogue. The preparation of elections, according to diplomats, may take up to 18 months, which is a long time for sectarian and ethnic divisions to be resolved.

Concerns about how to create a truly inclusive body where the vast array of interested groups and nationalities feel appropriately represented have also plagued Syrian deliberations for a future constitution.

According to Pedersen, the creation of such a body may lead to the lifting of sanctions, an increase in humanitarian aid, the return of refugees, the resumption of the economy, and the eventual achievement of justice against the former regime's officials, all of which would serve as incentives for the armed groups.