Pastor Andrew Ashdown: Britain Should Regret Its Anti-Syria Role

DAMASCUS, (ST)-  Pastor Andrew Ashdown, head of a delegation representing the British House of Lords and the Anglican Church, has underscored that Syria has been facing a proxy war waged by a number of countries without taking the interests of the Syrian people into consideration, pointing out that it is time the international community should listen to the will of the Syrian people.

In a statement to SANA during a reception held Sunday evening for the guest delegation at the Patriarchate of Antioch and All the East for the Syriac Orthodox at its headquarters in Bab Touma area in Damascus, Ashdown said that Britain should support Syria socially, religiously and economically and it should regret the destructive role it has played against Syria over the past period.

 Shift in British public opinion regarding Syria events

Ashdown noted a shift in the British public opinion regarding events in Syria, affirming that the British people don’t believe the western media’s narrative about Syria events anymore. He clarified that the delegation’s visit is to listen to the people and convey the truth about what is going on in Syria to the world, stressing that Syria’s steadfastness and the courage of the Syrians are examples to be followed by the rest countries of the world.

He hoped that the delegation will be able to convince the British politicians to change their stances on the crisis in Syria, saying that it is time the international community should listen to the will of the Syrian people. He also stressed the importance of reconstructing the country and the need to preserve Syria’s cultural identity, inclusiveness and diversity.

On his part, Patriarch of the Syriac Orthodox Church Mor Ignatius Aphrem II, said it is important that members of the delegations convey the truth of what they saw in Syria and to be the voice of the Syrians in Britain, stressing the need to intensify efforts as to lift the coercive unilateral economic measures imposed on Syria.

Hamda Mustafa