Al-Mikdad: We Will Keep Working to Stop Terrorism in Syria, Restore Security, Stability

Geneva – The Syrian delegation came to Geneva with clear and accurate directives from President Bashar Al-Assad to seek ending bloodshed and terrorism in Syria and restoring security and stability to the country, underlined Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister, Fayssal al-Mikdad in an interview with al-Mayadeen TV on Wednesday.

 “We will keep working to achieve the hoped for goals, but it is wrong to think that the three years old crisis will end within a week,” al-Mikdad said. 

“The Syrian delegation have submitted some work papers aiming to come up with positive results that show the seriousness of the work to end the crisis, but the so-called “opposition coalition” side refused even to comment on these papers, Al-Mikdad added.

“We will keep working despite the differences existed between the Russian and the American sponsors who themselves called for holding the Geneva 2  Conference and we won’t lose the path, because the first item of Geneva 1 Communique provides for stopping violence and terrorism,” the deputy foreign minister went on to say.

He clarified that “the US Ambassador Robert Ford plus others are the parties which supply the so-called “opposition Coalition” with certain directives making them conceive that the Syrian delegation is coming to hand over power, which is not only a red line but a forbidden line, because the Syrian delegation will never accept to contribute to destroying Syria.”

  Al-Mikdad pointed out that the official delegation had told the UN Syria Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi that “the so-called “opposition coalition” participating in Geneva 2 talks is only a faction in the coalition and that the rest of the “opposition” bodies, including the national opposition inside Syria, should take part in the coming rounds of talks which will deal with all issues.”

He said “from the very beginning we urged dialogue inside Syria. The sooner we return to Syria to hold national dialogue the better results we achieve to serve the Syrian people and maintain national dignity.”

The Syrian official delegation is serious about finding a peaceful solution based on a political process led by President Bashar al-Assad who, according to the majority of the Syrians, is a symbol for Syria and a guarantor of its unity, al-Mikdad said.

Commenting on the US decision to continue arming the terrorists in Syria, Al-Mikdad said: “It is a new crime committed by the US administration against the Syrians,” pointing out that if the US wants to play a positive role to solve the crisis it must stop supporting terrorism and sending weapons to terrorists in the country.

Al-Maikdad also referred to the Saudi incessant efforts to back the terrorists to destroy the Syrian state and foil Geneva 2 talks.

“Saudi Arabia released many prisoners, who had been sentenced to death, with the purpose of sending them to Syria to kill the Syrian people,” the deputy minister said, clarifying that Saudi officials, with foreign minister Saud al-Faysal at the top, had repeatedly and openly announced that they provide weapons and money to the terrorists in Syria, based on a Wahaabi extremist background.  

Al-Mikdad also criticized the Turkish role in supporting terrorism in Syria through allowing terrorists and mercenaries to infiltrate into the country across the Turkish borders.

He said that the policy of Erdogan’s government’s over the past three years was destructive to Turkey before it was destructive to Syria, stressing that the current Turkish government should realize that the terrorism hitting Syria now will one day hit Turkey itself.

H. Mustafa