Interview: UN official says foreign elements exist in Syria, have different agendas

DAMASCUS, Oct. 2 (Xinhua)-- Canadian diplomat Mokhtar Lamani, who represents UN-Arab League (AL) joint special envoy in Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, indicated Tuesday that foreign elements exist in Syria, and that they have different agendas and plans.

"Some groups like to swim in troubled water," Lamani said in an interview with Xinhua on Tuesday, referring to the extremist groups that reportedly have been operative in Syria over the past months.

According to Lamani, similar cases could be found in Iraq, Somalia, Yemen, northern Mali and Libya.

"There are a lot of elements that want to take advantage, and they have other plans going beyond Syria," Lamani said. "We don't have exact numbers, but... it's there."

Lamani, who is of Moroccan origin, said the solution to this problem is for Syrians to "humanize their country by national reconciliation."

The Syrian government has for long accused foreign jihadists and extremist groups linked to al-Qaida terror network of staging deadly acts in Syria. The United Nations Independent International Commission of Inquiry on Syria recently confirmed the increasing presence of foreign elements, including jihadist militants, in Syria.

UN investigators said some of the jihadists have joined rebel groups, while others are operating independently. Paulo Pinheiro, an expert leading the UN team of human rights investigators, said some recent bomb attacks may have been carried out by such groups.

Meanwhile, Lamani said that "those who are fighting on ground are mainly Syrians," noting that "our mission is mainly between the Syrians themselves."

Commenting on some calls for military intervention in Syria, Lamani said that "I don't think military intervention will be a solution, for one single reason: for any war, we know when it begins, but we don't know how or when it's going to end."

He said that seeking a political arrangement is better, and " respecting the real wish of the Syrian people... this is non- negotiable."

About the situation on ground, Lamani said the situation is " very sad," vowing to do their best in order to bring a quick end to the Syrian crisis.

He said the Syrian crisis has three levels: the local one about the relation between the Syrians themselves and how they see the future of their country; the regional one due to Syria's important status in the region; and finally the division within the UN Security Council.

He said that the fragmentation of the Syrian society and the high level of mistrust among parties are making things difficult, adding that he had met with a number of Syrian officials and opposition figures.

Brahimi is expected to arrive in the region within the next days and will visit influential capitals in the region, Lamani said, adding that the envoy has accepted the mission after previous mission failed, so his approach will be "different."

Brahimi took over the post of UN-Arab League joint special envoy for Syria last month, succeeding Kofi Annan who resigned in frustration over the failed efforts to end the Syrian crisis which activists say has claimed 23,000 to 26,000 lives.

On Monday, Syrian Foreign Minister Walid al-Moallem said in an address at the United Nations General Assembly's annual ministerial meeting in New York that his country welcomed the appointment of Brahimi, stressing his country's willingness to fully cooperate with him.

Al-Moallem highlighted that the success of any international efforts requires, in addition to the commitment of the Syrian government, the commitments of other states that are supporting armed groups in Syria. The minister explicitly named the United States, France, Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia which are supporting what he called "terrorism in Syria." Enditem