By Hatem Maher and Menna AlaaElDin
CAIRO (Reuters) – Holding elections in Syria might take up to 4 years, Syria’s de facto chief Ahmed al-Sharaa mentioned in remarks broadcast on Sunday, the primary time he has commented on a potential electoral timetable since Bashar al-Assad was ousted this month.
Drafting a brand new structure might take up to 3 years, Sharaa mentioned in an interview with the Saudi state-owned broadcaster Al Arabiya. He additionally mentioned it will take a couple of yr for Syrians to see drastic adjustments.
The remark from Sharaa, who leads the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group that ousted Assad on Dec. 8, comes as the brand new authorities in Damascus has been looking for to reassure its neighbours that it has moved away from its roots in Islamist militancy.
The group’s lightning marketing campaign ended a 13-year civil struggle however has left a bunch of questions on the way forward for a multi-ethnic nation the place international states together with Turkey and Russia have sturdy and doubtlessly competing pursuits.
Whereas Western powers largely welcomed the top of the Assad household rule in Syria, it stays unclear whether or not the group will impose strict Islamic rule or present flexibility and transfer in direction of democracy.
Sharaa mentioned HTS, previously often called the Nusra Entrance, can be dissolved at a nationwide dialogue convention.
When requested about dissolving the group, Sharaa mentioned: “Of course. A country cannot be run by the mentality of groups and militias.”
The group was as soon as affiliated with Islamic State and al-Qaeda however has since renounced each and sought to reposition itself as a power for moderation.
It has repeatedly vowed to guard minority teams, who worry the brand new rulers might search to impose an Islamist authorities and has warned of makes an attempt to incite sectarian strife.
In response to Sharaa, the nationwide dialogue convention would come with large participation by Syrian society with votes on points resembling dissolving the parliament and the structure.
On the scenario in north japanese Syria, Sharaa mentioned there are talks with all events to resolve remaining disputes together with with the U.S.-allied Kurdish Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF).
“We reject Syria becoming a platform for the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) to launch attacks against Turkey,” he mentioned.
He mentioned arms ought to solely be underneath the management of the state, including that the ministry of defence would welcome these able to becoming a member of the military.
Within the interview, Sharaa mentioned Syria shared strategic pursuits with Russia, a detailed Assad ally through the lengthy civil struggle which has army bases within the nation, reiterating conciliatory alerts his authorities has made beforehand.
Sharaa mentioned this month that Syria’s relations with Russia ought to serve frequent pursuits.
Russian Overseas Minister Sergei Lavrov mentioned the standing of Russia’s army bases can be the topic of negotiations with the brand new management in Damascus.
“It is a question not only of maintaining our bases or strongholds, but also of the conditions of their operation, maintenance and provision, and interaction with the local side,” he mentioned in an interview with Russian information company RIA revealed on Sunday.
Sharaa additionally mentioned he hoped the administration of U.S. President-elect Donald Trump would elevate sanctions imposed on Syria. Senior U.S. diplomats who visited Damascus this month mentioned Sharaa got here throughout as pragmatic and that Washington has determined to take away a $10 million bounty on the HTS chief’s head.
In response to a query about neighbouring states’ issues over Islamist teams, he mentioned: “We will not work on exporting the revolution. We want to manage the phase with the mentality of the state and not revolution,” he mentioned, reiterating that they’re eager on establishing strategic relations with all regional states.