Qatari Prime Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman bin Jassim Al-Thani said on Saturday (Dec 7) that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad failed to engage with his people and address issues like the return of refugees during a period of calm in the country’s ongoing civil war.

Addressing the Doha Forum for political dialogue, Prime Minister Al-Thani said, “Assad didn’t seize these opportunities to start engaging and restoring his relationship with his people, and we didn’t see any serious movement, whether it’s on the return of the refugees or on reconciling with his own people.”

Qatar had given early support to Syrian rebels after the Assad government crushed a peaceful uprising in 2011 which led to the civil war (in Syria).

Though Qatar remains a fierce critic of Assad, it has now called for a negotiated end to the fighting. 

Reacting to the November 27 offensive by rebel factions in Syria, Qatar PM Al-Thani said that the world was surprised by the speed of this offensive.

He cautioned that the situation might become more and more dangerous, threatening a return to a more intense level of civil war. 

He added such an outcome would “damage and destroy what’s left if there is not any sense of urgency to start putting (in place) a political framework for what’s happening over there… in order to find a political solution.”

Al-Thani’s remarks came as Turkey, Russia, and Iran were due in Doha on Saturday for expected talks on Syria following lightning gains by the Islamist-led rebels.

All three of those powers were involved in the Astana process, which began in 2017 to end Syria’s civil war, and were expected in the Qatari capital during the Doha Forum.

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