Western Economic Sanctions Main Cause of Syrian Citizens’ Suffering: al-Mikdad

DAMASCUS, (ST)- Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faysal al-Mikdad has stressed that those who are trying to ignore Syria or impose conditions for its return to the Arab League will not succeed, as Syria won’t surrender to blackmail or give up its just causes, reiterating that what primarily concerns Syria is its position in the region and its participation in key Arab nation-related issues, according to the facebook page of the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Exaptriates.

During the British-Syrian Society conference in Damascus, al-Mikdad said “we follow up all developments related to Syria’s return to the Arab League and to the resumption of the activities of countries’ embassies in Syria. We are keen on achieving all this, but regional and international pressure facing Syria hamper this process.”

Economic sanctions

 The unilateral economic sanctions imposed on Syria by the United States as well as by western countries and their tools in the region have been the main cause of the suffering of the Syrian citizens, al-Mikdad went on to say.

He pointed out that one of the conferences that will be held over the coming days on the economic situation in Syria is the “Brussels Conference” scheduled in mid February, clarifying  “we are against this conference because the Syrian state was not invited and because such conferences are held to impose more ristrictions on any kind of aid that may be provided to Syria.”    He urged the United Nations not to attend the conference because its main goal is to impose political conditions.

“They will try to impose through politics what western countries couldn’t impose through their intervention in the battlefield in Syria. This will never happen because we are a free independent sovereign people and because President Bashar Al-Assad is the one who is leading this great people”, al-Mikdad made it clear.

He also said that the US anti-Syria “Caesar” law, which imposes further economic sanctions on Syria, can’t be confronted except through continuous steadfastness, pointing out that such measures aim at tightening the siege on the country to serve Israel’s interests.

Al-Mikdad noted the great achievements made by the Syrian Arab army in its battle against terrorists, clarifying that Idleb and eastern Euphrates area are the only remaining terrorist  hotspots.

Refugees return

The deputy minister pointed out that the ministry has instructed Syria’s embassies to facilitate the return of refugees, stressing that the state has spared no effort to create suitable environment to help the refugees return home.

He concluded  by saying that Syria is still facing a war, yet it won’t stop fighting terrorism until all the Syrian territories are restored to the state’s sovereignty.

Hamda Mustafa