Syrian-Russian Party Talks Addressed Pivotal Issues

MOSCOW, (ST)_ Assistant Secretary-General of  the Arab Baath Socialist Party Abdullah al-Ahmar stressed strong  deeply rooted friendly relations between Syria and Russia, pointing out the stability of these relations despite changes taking place on the international arena.

Al-Ahmar added during a meeting with the Special Representative of the Russian President for Middle East Affairs, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov in Moscow yesterday, ” Syria was a country of security and stability in the region and what it suffers now is the result of an old-new  international conspiracy  and the so called Arab Spring” .

He pointed out that Saudi Arabia and Qatar have played the worst role in the Syrian crisis  following Turkey’s role as the ruling party in Turkey is a Party for Religious Affairs, adding that the Americans  came to the region relying  on what they call  moderate Islam , as an  interface to the organizations of the Muslim Brotherhood, whose  base is in Egypt with  extensions in Syria, Tunisia, Morocco, Algeria, Libya and other countries.

Al-Ahmar stressed Syrian government’s readiness for national dialogue, but not  with terrorists because negotiations with the terrorist lead to nothing, noting that the  Americans want the Syrian opposition  to be only represented by external  coalition, which includes the Muslim Brotherhood and some of the parties

“The Syrian government has agreed all the initiatives calling for resolving the crisis by political means, but the other party is refusing to embark on a political solution and  is not politically  ready ,” al-AShmar said, adding the Americans postpone the international conference and they do not want a Syrian  opposition that  have a real impact on the internal situation in Syria.”

He stressed that Syria’s success in its efforts to resolve the crisis is but  a success for Russia and its policy of supporting  international legitimacy ,the United Nations and the  international law. 

Bogdanov stressed that  Russia is  on direct contact with the evolution of events in Syria and pointing out:  “We have  permanent contacts with the Syrian ambassador in Moscow and with our embassy in Damascus,  in order to coordinate joint steps in the fields of diplomacy ,international politics, work at the UN and its Security Council, to  discuss the issue of chemical weapons and counter-terrorism issues, as well as a focus on a political solution .” 

Bogdanov noted  the importance of the Russian -America  initiative on the International Conference on Syria and the need to accelerate its implementation, pointing to the role of the Baath Party, which is very popular as evidenced by the results of the recent elections, stressing the need to continue the fight against terrorism , with broad popular support and not to avail the opportunity for “radical Islamists” to fill the ideological and intellectual  vacuum in contemporary circumstances. 

Bogdanov also stressed that religious, social , discreet and cultural  figures  must be involved in the search for a  peaceful  outlet and political solution to the crisis in the country and to play an active role in the context  of the International Conference on Syria, stressing the need to strengthen cooperation in the area of political diplomacy , and not   to provide any pretext for those who are afraid of the conference and the international players who stand behind them. 

For his part, Andrei Klimov member of the Supreme Council of the United Russia Party member of the Council of the Russian Federation  stressed that all the political parties represented in the Russian parliament supported the Russian leadership and the Foreign Ministry in the principled  positions towards Syria. 

Klimov added during a session of talks in the Russian Duma between the representatives of the leaders of the  ruling United Russia party and the  delegation Baath Arab Socialist Party headed by Mr. al-Ahmar  that his party holds a constructive dialogue with all the parties represented in the Russian parliament to debate  the Syrian issue with the Chinese Communist Party  leadership , noting that Russia and China have the same position  concerning  the Syrian issue.

Klimov  affirmed that that the state , government, the ruling party and the parliament of the Russian Federation stand against interference by any outside forces in Syria , adding that  what is happening in Syria is an internal Syrian issue, and that Russia opposes any decision of the UN Security Council authorizing foreign intervention in Syria.

In turn, the Syrian ambassador in Moscow Dr. Riad Haddad highly appreciated the Russian deep understanding of the situation in Syria and Moscow  attempts  to find a viable solution based on the correct understanding, pointing out the large role of the Russian Federation in world politics.

Ambassador Haddad  added that “the issue of Syria is not a regional but is a universal issue, and that solving this issue  depends on determines the fate of international law and international relations in the contemporary world,” pointing out that the hypocrisy of the West and the use of double standards hinder the convening of an international conference on Syria.

Representatives of the United Russia Party and the Arab Socialist Baath Party  agreed to activate the cooperation agreement between the two parties ,and increase number of exchanged delegations and visits .

T. Fateh