Al-Moallem: Fighting Terrorism Must Be an International Responsibility
BEIJING, (ST)- The Jabhat al-Nusra terrorist organization is dominating most of Syria’s Idleb province and it is taking civilians as human shields, Walid al-Moallem, Deputy Premier, Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, has underscored, reiterating the Syrian state’s duty and right to rid its citizens of terrorism, particularly as it is fighting organizations designated as terrorist by the entire world, including by the international Security Council which blacklisted “Jabhat al-Nusra” as a terrorist organization.
During a joint press conference with the Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi in Beijing on Tuesday, al-Moallem said that Idleb is a Syrian province and terrorism will be completely eliminated in this part of the country, stressing that all foreign troops, illegally present in Syria, must leave.
He explained that Syria has been facing international terrorism since 2011 and this terrorism has damaged the country’s infrastructure and economic development, reiterating that fighting terrorism should be an international responsibility and that priority in participating in Syria’s reconstruction process will be given to the countries which supported the Syrian state in its war on terrorism.
“Terrorism is a plague targeting the entire world and Syria is fighting it on its territory on behalf of this world,” said al-Moallem, who thanked China over its support for Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
He also said that Syria strongly supports the territorial integrity of China and highly valued the Chinese people’s achievements and contributions to human civilization.
Syria, China in the same trench against US economic terrorism
On political settlement in Syria, al-Moallem said “Syria is pressing ahead with the work to find a political solution of the crisis, taking into consideration that the Security Council has approved that the Issue of the Syrian constitution is a pure Syrian affair in which only the Syrian people have the final say.
Al-Moallem pointed out that Syria and China are in the same trench against the US economic terrorism, represented by the Unilateral coercive economic measures imposed on both countries as well as on Iran, Venezuela and other countries which don’t submit to US dictates. He called for confronting this kind of terrorism because it violates the UN Charter, the international law as well as the principles of international relations.
On his part, Wang Yi said that he and al-Moallem held intensive talks on boosting Chinese-Syrian friendship and bilateral ties, stressing that his country is keen on enhancing relations with Syria and it supports the Syrian government’s efforts to fight terrorism and find a political solution that preserves Syria’s sovereignty, independence and territorial integrity.
He called for speeding up the process of finding political solution through dialogue in parallel with the fight against terrorism in Idleb where terrorists control wide areas and pose serious threat to the region. He also affirmed the need for an international agreement on fighting and uprooting terrorism and for abandoning political agendas.
The Chinese top diplomat renewed his country’s rejection of any unilateral step by any foreign party in Syria, noting that such steps violate the international law. He called on the international community to exert more effort to maintain the interests of the Syrian people and the rules of international law and relations in addition to the principles of justice.
Wang pointed out that speeding up the process of reconstruction in Syria guarantees achieving sustainable development, stressing that his country will support Syria in reconstruction and urging the international community to help the Syrian people surpass the repercussions of the terrorist war.
Hamda Mustafa