Vienna Meeting a Turning Point in Political Efforts to Solve Crisis in Syria – Al-Zou’bi

DAMASCUS, (ST)- Information Minister Omran al-Zou’bi has stressed that Vienna meeting on Syria has been the most important turning point in political efforts aiming to stop the war in Syria and put an end to foreign interference and to the flow of terrorists towards Syria.

 Interviewed by the Syrian TV last night, al-Zou’bi said the communiqué of the Vienna meeting included several points of agreements and it was acceptable in terms of content and results.

 “From the very beginning of the crisis, the Syria government has called for maintaining Syria’s unity, independence and sovereignty over all its territories and for preserving the secular identity of the Syrian state, the minister said, pointing out that these points were literally provided in the first item of Vienna  conference communiqué.

Al-Zou’bi affirmed that Syria’s unity, independence and sovereignty were preserved thanks to the Syrian army and people’s sacrifices in defense of the homeland.  

The information Minister called on all parties to be engaged in the political process and the counterterrorism efforts.

According to al-Zou’bi, all the terrorist organizations are connected to each other logistically, intellectually and organizationally. He said the Syrian state had evidence for this through monitoring phone contacts among members of the terrorist organizations and the confessions of arrested terrorists.

He pointed out that Vienna communiqué didn’t refer to the responsibility of the countries supporting terrorists for the spread of terrorism in Syria and the region. “The communiqué should have called on Syria’s neighboring states and other countries in the region to stop allowing terrorists and arms to enter Syria and to halt the logistic and intelligence support for them in accordance with UN resolutions,” he clarfied.

Hizbollah, Iraq, Iran and Russia are a real front against Terrorism

The information minister went on to say that “Hizbollah, Iraq, Iran and Russia constitute a real front in the face of terrorism as to reinforce international law, attain stability in the region and preserve national sovereignty of states.”

He pointed out that the Syrian state has been at all stages open to every political effort that leads to political solution, stressing “we are ready for national dialogue which engages all the Syrians of all trends except those who have been involved in terrorist acts.”

“The Syrian government won’t have dialogue with any of the parties who conspired on the Syrian people and practiced terrorism against them,” al-Zou’bi said, pointing out that Russian efforts are being exerted to prepare the lists of the so-called “political opposition groups” which could take part in the forthcoming Moscow3 meeting.

“Moscow3 should carry on what has been achieved in Moscow2 and talks should start from the point where they stopped, he said.

Oman always supported Syrian people and leadership

On the Omani Stance on the crisis in Syria, al-Zou’bi said the Omani Sultanate “has played a distinguished role in the search for diplomatic ways to solve the crisis in Syria. It has been supporting the Syrian people and leadership and has rejected interference in Syria’s internal affairs.”

Commenting on Washington’s sending of 50 “advisers” to the region, the information minister said “the U.S. wanted to say that it is here despite the strong and effective Russian presence. The move t won’t change the fact that the US-led anti terror coalition was inefficient, unserious and irresponsible in its fight against the terrorist organization calling itself the “Islamic State in Iraq and Syria (ISIS).

Hamda Mustafa