Syrian National Dialogue congress launches in Sochi

(MENAFN) Activities of the Syrian National Dialogue Congress kicked off in the Russian city of Sochi on Tuesday with the participation of about 1500 persons representing segments of the Syrian society and persons from foreign oppositions, SANA delegate said.

Russian Foreign Minister, Sergei Lavrov, during the Congress opening, said that the Syrian people are the only ones who have the right to self-determination.

Chairman of Damascus Chamber of Commerce, Ghassan Qalla'a, the oldest participants in the Congress, said in a speech during the opening session that ''Syria is the beating heart of Arabism and the hub of civilizations; therefore, we are adhered to this juncture which the seven years of war that our country passed through haven't been able to weaken, but they further strengthened it, and without that we as Syrians couldn't have been able to achieve victories over Takfiri terrorist groups and to make great sacrifices.''

''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: hands off Syria and stop interfering in its affairs and igniting the fire of sedition and division as our people have suffered from the outrageous interventions after they used to be an example to follow in coexistence and the stability and security,'' Qalla'a added.

At the end of his speech, Qalla'a thanked the Russian leadership and people for their continued backing to Syria and for hosting the National Dialogue Congress.

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