Patriarch Aphrem II: The West should lift the unfair sanctions imposed on the Syrian people

Patriarch Ignatius Aphrem II of Antioch and All East for the Syriac Orthodox Church, the Supreme Head of the Universal Syriac Orthodox Church, has called on western countries, mainly the United States and the European Unions’ countries, to lift the unfair sanctions they have imposed on the peaceful people of Syria without any legal basis.

He made the remarks during a reception held following his visit to the Syrian Embassy in Stockholm, Sweden. 

 Patriarch Ephrem II noted the strong connection between the Syrians and their homeland, hailing the Syrian state’s efforts to meet the requirements of the people despite the difficulties it has been facing due to the brutal coercive measures which have badly affected the life of all the Syrians across the country.

“We, in Syria, want peace for all and we all hope to achieve this goal. At the end, the peoples of this region will triumph over the countries of aggression and their sanctions,” the patriarch said, pointing out that the western countries have been emboldened by their power to impose inhuman and unjust sanctions on the Syrian people.

On his part, the Syrian acting Charge de Affairs in Stockholm Tamim Malko described the western coercive measures against Syria as economic terrorism that should be lifted immediately.

Hamda Mustafa