Shaaban: Damascus is open to good relations with all Arab countries 

Dr. Buthaina Shaaban, Special Adviser to the Presidency of the Republic, affirmed that the earthquake disaster proved that the terrorist war against the Syrian people did not affect their coexistence, affiliation and compassion, noting that there is a positive Arab movement towards Syria, and that Damascus is open to relations with all Arab countries.

Dr. Shaaban said in an interview with Russia Today channel: The disaster of the earthquake that struck Syria confirmed that 12 years of terrorist war against the Syrian people did not affect their coexistence, affiliation, compassion and love, as Syrians from all over the country came to help the afflicted and are still providing assistance. Expatriates and residents abroad are also eager to send aid to their families in Syria.

Dr. Shaaban added: “Most of the Arabs participated in sending aid to Syria, and this shows us that the Arab people, in their conscience love each other, and are rooted in common bonds of language, history and feelings. As for the international level, our allies have rushed to send aid but the West’s humanitarian claims and their claims about concern for human life and rights must stop, as the west did not move a finger towards the afflicted Syrian people.

Dr. Shaaban noted that there is a positive Arab movement towards Syria, and we interact with it as required by the Arab interest and the interest of our people. She stressed that Damascus is open to relations with all Arab countries.

She confirmed that President Al-Assad believes in good relations with the Arab countries, given that the fate of all  the Arabs is one.”

Regarding the delivery of aid to those affected by the earthquake in areas outside the control of the state in Idlib, Dr. Shaaban stated that the Syrian Arab Red Crescent, in cooperation with the International Red Cross, tried to deliver aid to Idlib, but the terrorists and militants there refused to do so.

“When President Al-Assad received Martin Griffiths, Under-Secretary-General of the United Nations for Humanitarian Affairs more than a week ago, he said: “We will open two additional crossings across the border with Turkey in order to provide relief to the afflicted in areas outside the control of the state. This is an evidence that President Al-Assad and the Syrian people consider Syria as one country and that the Syrian people should be rescued whether in the areas under the control of the Syrian state or in the areas that are still controlled by terrorists, but the terrorist groups do not want to restore the cohesion between these areas,” she calrified.

Dr. Shaaban indicated that reconstruction after the earthquake disaster has become more difficult due to the scale of the destruction and the tens of thousands of afflicted people, but at the same time it will become easier if the Arabs and friends continue to defy the American measures and support Syria and develop this support to include everything needed for reconstruction. She underlined the urgency of lifting the Western coercive measures against the Syrian people.

Shaaban pointed out that the presence of the American forces in Syria is illegal, as they are working to plunder the resources of the Syrian people and steal Syrian oil and wheat, and they are also intervening to protect the terrorist organization (ISIS) and preserve its remnants in Al-Tanf region.

One of the priorities of the American presence in that region is to prevent communication between Arabs by severing the borders between Syria, Iraq and Jordan, Shaaban said, adding: Iraq defied American terrorism after the earthquake, and sent all it could of convoys and aid across the borders.

Concerning the Ukrainian crisis, Dr. Shaaban renewed Syria’s support for Russia and its right to guarantee its security and territorial integrity, pointing out that the West, led by Washington, wants to change Ukraine’s identity and make it subordinate to the West, although culture, language and identity historically link it with Russia.

Inas Abdulkareem