CNN Censors UN Russia Ambassador’s Assessment of Crisis in Syria

MOSCOW – The US CNN TV channel has dropped from its interview with the Russian Ambassador to the United Nations his appeal for the need to take into account the will of the Syrian people, who mostly support President Bashar al-Assad, and also Churkin’s statement that the so-called Syrian “opposition” is stonewalling humanitarian activities, the ITAR-TASS news agency reports.

According to the agency, the interview is accessible on the CNN website. The final edition of the program by a prominent host Christiane Amanpour lacks Churkin’s answers to some key questions, one of which was about President Al-Assad’s role after the start of the transition period. “This is for Syrians to decide”, Churkin said in the full version of the interview, which has been posted on the website of the Russian Embassy to the United Nations. According to Churkin, “the reality is that many Syrians, in fact the better part of the Syrian population, back up President Assad, and this should also be taken into account”. “So, let’s launch a dialogue and make it possible for Syrians to make their own choice of the path towards ending the conflict”, the diplomat said.

CNN has likewise dropped Vitaly Churkin’s remarks that any preconditions by the Syrian “opposition” for the Geneva-2 conference are inadmissible. Geneva-2 is due to kick off on January 22nd. The “opposition” earlier made certain demands even when the date of the expected conference was only being agreed.

Vitaly Churkin deplored the fact in a conversation with the ITAR-TASS news agency that CNN had broadcast a downsized version of his interview. He says that CNN has dropped “the more acute issues” of a Syrian settlement.

H. Mustafa