Mikdad: All Who Carry Weapon against the State Are Terrorists and They Should be Fought.

DAMASCUS, (ST) -There is no difference between Moderate terrorism and extremist takfiri terrorism, because all who carry the weapon against the state are terrorists and they should be fought, Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faysal al-Mikdad has underscored.

Al-Mikdad’s remarks were made during the “al-Baath Dialogue Forum” held by the Damascus Baath Arab Socialist Party Branch on Sunday under the title “International Initiatives and Victories of the Syrian Arab Army.

  The deputy foreign minister reiterated that “no solution in Syria can lead to the hoped-for results unless it adopts fighting terrorism as a top priority.” 

“Syria backs the initiative of Russian President Vladimir Putin to form a regional anti-terrorism coalition and it is ready to be a key player in this coalition because Syria seeks finding solutions not creating more problems,” al-Mikdad added.

He pointed out that Syria has said that it is difficult for the countries, which have been main supporters and sponsors of terrorism in Syria, to join this coalition, but “we have to realize that some parties may correct their policies as they have become aware of the danger of terrorism expansion on their lands.”

Al-Mikdad pointed out that the terrorist aggression on Syria aims at destroying the country because it has been the conscience of the Arab nation and the steadfast front against the colonialist schemes and attempt to impose the Israeli mandate on the region.

He asserted that Syria has dealt positively with all international initiatives to solve the crisis in the country including the Arab Observers Mission and that of the UN special envoys for Syria Lakhdar Ibrahimi and his successor Staffan de Mistura.

According to al-Mikdad, all countries of the Arab region are targeted and “those in the Arab Gulf and other countries of the region should realize that the danger of Israeli and Western schemes is coming to them.

Concerning the mission of the UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura, al-Mikdad said “Syria was open to discuss all opinions and suggestions put forward by Mistura, but we have kept stressing that no solution to the crisis in Syria except through Syrian-led dialogue among the Syrians and he should have taken this point into consideration.”

Regarding Geneva 1 and Geneva 2 conferences on Syria, al-Mikdad said Syria has provided all needed assistance to solve the crisis through its participation in the two conferences.

He asserted that if the international community wants to reach a solution to the crisis in Syria it must implement all related UN resolutions and force Syria’s neighboring countries, particularly Turkey and Jordan to respect these resolutions and any other suggestions won’t lead to the hoped-for conclusion.  

He urged placing the Turkish regime on the list of the countries supporting terrorism because it has allowed thousands of killers, terrorists and mercenaries from more than 100 countries to cross into Syria and has provided shelter, training and treatment to the terrorists on its land.   

“The United States and the Turkish regime are partners in shedding the Syrian blood,” al-Mikdad said, holding Turkey responsible for all the terrorist acts committed against the Syrian and Iraqi peoples.”

Regarding the two Moscow consultative meetings, al-Mikdad said Syria accepted to meet the Syrian oppositions delegations in Moscow without reservations. The first meeting was an attempt to break the ice between the two sides and in the second meeting the two sides came up with a joint work paper, but foreign pressure began on the opposition when the two sides started to discuss issues relating to fighting terrorism, confidence building and national reconciliation.

On the relation with Iran, al-Mikdad said there is a big campaign to undermine the strategic relation between Syria and Iran, pointing out that the “Syrian people who supported the Iranian revolution won’t forget the support of its allies in Iran who are greatly interested in maintaining the sovereignty, security and stability of Syria.”

The deputy foreign minister hailed the heroic deeds and sacrifices of the Syrian Arab Army, stressing that the victories achieved by the Syrian army and the Lebanese resistance in Zabadani, Idleb and Hassaka will  also to be achieved in Daraa, Sweida, Damascus Countryside and other Syrian provinces.

Hamda Mustafa