Mr. Farouq Al Habib:

In the areas in which we are able to operate, the Syrian Civil Defence, or the White Helmets, is the only search-and-rescue organisation which operates in these areas.

It might be the only united group at national level that has the same uniform, principles and slogan and which is working searching for, and rescuing, people. We ourselves do not operate health facilities or hospitals. Our role is to provide the first response and to take the injured people to the field hospitals or to the other health facilities. We are always happy, of course, to provide logistical assistance to the relief organisations because the Syrian Civil Defence has the ability on the ground to cross most of the lines and all checkpoints in the areas out of the regime's control. Most of those areas allow the Syrian Civil Defence convoys to cross because of its neutrality. Consequently, we had joint projects in the past with many non-governmental organisations, NGOs, to channel their assistance to the heart of each area.

The refugee crisis will put pressure on European governments, as well as on other governments. We always want to tell our friends in Europe and other hosting governments that we need them both to provide assistance to those refugees who have arrived on their shores and to help us to solve the problem at the source because unless that is solved, there always will be refugees who will arrive. Incidentally, those refugees arriving in those countries might not be the most vulnerable people who need the assistance. Those people had some connections, some relationships and perhaps some money to be able to pay to the smugglers, to travel and arrive here. While we thank you very much for the warm welcome and for hosting of our brothers and our friends who arrived in your countries, we need you to help us to solve the crisis in our country because there is no country like one's home country.

Honestly, I am not aware of the peace charter to which Senator Mullins referred. What does he mean? Does that initiative have another name and by whom was that peace charter submitted? Is it linked to the Geneva track?