Syria won’t Abandon Principles ,Has Deterrence Force, Asserts al-Mikdad
DAMASCUS,(ST)_Deputy Foreign and Expatriate Minister has affirmed that Syria will never give up its principles and it has deterrence force against Israel.
Faisal al-Mikdad declared today in his speech before a cadre of teachers at Damascus University that preserving Syria’s unity and fighting terrorism are our priority for participation in the forthcoming Geneva-2 conference.
He repeated that Syria welcomes the announcement by the UN that the “Geneva-2” conference will begin on 22nd January.
“An official delegation representing the Syrian state with instructions from President Bashar al-Assad is going to take part in the conference,” he said, stressing that only the Syrian people decide their future and ballot box will define the country’s future.
Al-Mikdad noted that Syria has welcomed all initiatives that would help to reach a political solution to the ongoing crisis, talking in details about his country’s full cooperation with the UN missions in this regard.
“The western countries tried to take advantage of the presence of the missions to give terrorists and gunmen an opportunity for deployment at the expense of the Syrian Arab army and safe areas,” he said.
Erdogan supports terrorism
Al-Mikdad also blamed terrorist groups’ crimes against citizens on terrorism supporters, mainly Turkey and Saudi Arabia.
“Turkish Prime Minister, Erdogan, himself, supports terrorism and considers himself as a political official for the Muslim brotherhood… Syria presented to the UN documents substantiating Turkey’s direct involvement in the two chemical attacks perpetrated by terrorists in Khan al-Assal and the Eastern Ghouta areas,” he said.
Diplomatic missions
As for Syria’s diplomatic relations with countries, al-Mikdad underscored that there are 43 diplomatic missions in Syria and they are not ‘isolated’. “There are ongoing communications to open embassies here. Most of our embassies are still open abroad, except those that we don’t want to open.”
Nuclear-free region
Regarding Syria’s joining the Chemical Weapons Convention, al-Mikdad sees that this step will ‘shorten the distance’ to make the Middle East a region free of the weapons of mass destruction. “Syria has deterrence force against Israel.”
“The United States and its European allies hindered a draft resolution proposed by Syria in 2003 to make the Middle East region free of the weapons of mass destruction.. the resolution was not presented to the Security Council because the Veto will prevent it,” he said.
On the other hand, the Syrian official labeled Iran’s agreement with the representatives of the so-called P5+1 nations – the US, the UK, Russia, France, China and Germany- ‘precedent’ in international relations and an achievement for Iran.
“We hope that this achievement will have positive impact on regional and international issues,” al-Mikdad said.
He connected what is going on in Syria with the Israel-Arab conflict, asserting that Syria will continue supporting the Palestinian people’s struggle until all their rights are restored.
Basma Qaddour