78 thousand US Dollars: To renew furniture in house of prominent member in Syrian opposition!

Tuesday 30-05-2017 - 11:58 PM

Cairo - A document revealed that a prominent member in the Syrian opposition has asked the Qatari government for money to be used in renewing his private house.

The news site 'Al-Arabs Now' published the message sent by Riyad Hijab to the Qatari Foreign Ministry. In the leaked document, it is clear that there is continuous financial support provided by the state of Qatar to the dissident Syrian Prime Minister Riyad Hijab, who is currently the general coordinator of the Supreme Negotiations Authority.

According to the correspondence, it can be seen that Qatar is trying to influence some pillars of Riyad's platform in the Syrian opposition and other high-level figures in the Supreme Commission for negotiations through financial support, directly and indirectly.

Hijab at a press conference at the Hyatt Hotel in Amman, Jordan, Tuesday, Aug. 14, 2012. AP

In the formal letter back in 2016, Qatar's Foreign Ministry departments required approval of a large sum of money to replace some pieces of furniture at Hijab's residence in the Qatari capital city Doha.

According to the correspondent, the relatively large amount of QR 28,366 (two hundred and eighty-three thousand six hundred and fifty-six Riyals) which equates 78 thousand US Dollars.

Renewal only includes some luxuries such as curtains, chairs and small tables for tea sessions.

In August 2012, Hijab's spokesman and several news organizations stated he had resigned and defected to the rebel side in the Syrian civil war.

Days after, he visited Qatar in the same month. He said that the regime was near collapse and urged other political and military leaders to tip the scales and join the rebel side.

Hijab was selected in Riyadh in December 2015 by the Syrian opposition as head of the Supreme Negotiations Committee (also called Higher Negotiation Committee) which selected the negotiation delegation for the Geneva III negotiation process.