Mohammed Al-Mazied Al-Turkawi, a member of the SNC and a founder of the Arabian tribes conference, said, "Saudi Arabia plays a big role in supporting the Syrian people in providing urgent humanitarian aids. We have just received $5 million from Qatar as aid, but we need more in order to bear the brunt of the Syrian onslaught.
Al- Turkawi, who lives in the Kingdom, denied that the SNC received money to buy weapons supporting the Syrian Free Army. At the same time, he confirmed that the international intervention is necessary to put an end to President Bashar Assad's crimes against to his people.
Following are the excerpts from the interview:
Q: How do you evaluate the regional support to the Syrian national council and did you receive money to buy weapons?
A: There is no strong financial support to the SNC. We have just received $5 million from Qatar but it is not for buying weapons. The Syrian national council is not responsible to arm or buy weapons to the Syrian free army. However, our role is just to invite the friend countries to arm the Syrian free army.
Q: How do you evaluate the Saudi role in supporting the Syrian people?
A: We appreciate the Saudi role and its support to the Syrian people and we thank Custodian of Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah and the Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal for their effort to help the Syrian people, who are facing Syrian regime's crimes. Qatar and Kuwait have supported the Syrian people through their urgent humanitarian aids. However, others countries are not giving serious attention to the Syrian people's pains.
Q: Do you think that Turkey is still hesitant to create a protective zone for safety of the Syrian people?
A: Yes, Turkey is still hesitant to create a protective zone for safety of the Syrian people. However, we realize that this decision has to comes simultaneously with the international decision issued by the Security Council. But Turkey has the right to create the zone within the Syrian borders when the number of the Syrian refugees reach more 50,000 or Aleppo witnesses large protestations against the Syrian regime.
Q: What are the divergent views among the members of the Syrian National Council?
A: There is no strong divergence among the members. However, there are differences on adopting proper ways to remove the Syrian regime from power, some want international intervention while others do not.
However, we all started believing that the international military intervention in Syria is necessary to force the Syrian president out. It is not enough to arm the free army.
Q: During your stay in the Kingdom, do you have a specific role to support the Syrian National Council?
A: As a resident in the Kingdom, I am working to support the urgent humanitarian aid to the Syrian people in coordination with many associations in Gulf region. I have visited Syrian border towns to deliver the humanitarian aid from Jordan. At the same time, I am working to invite all to the conference of the Arabian Syrian Tribes Council. The main goal of the conference to be held in Cairo is a creation of local councils of the tribes in all the Syrian provinces to maintain stability and security after the Syrian regime fall.
