President Al-Assad to al-Ibrahimi: Initiative Should Reject Terrorism, Halt Support to Terrorists

 DAMASCUS, (ST) _ President Bashar Al-Assad reiterated Sunday Syria’s backing to the efforts exerted by the UN Envoy, el-Akhdar al-Ibrahimi, stressing Syria’s openness to whatever honest efforts as to find a political solution to the crisis on the basis of the respect for Syria’s sovereignty and rejection of foreign interference.

 Receiving al-Ibrahimi and the accompanying delegation, H.E. President Al-Assad outlined, according to SANA, that whatever initiative or political process should be based, in essence, on the principle of halting terrorism, with what this would demand of commitment from the countries involved in supporting, arming, and sheltering the terrorists in Syria, as to halt of such acts.

 The discussions dealt with the latest developments in Syria, the efforts made by al-Brahimi and the results of his recent tour to several countries in the region.

UN Envoy to Syria described on Sunday his meeting with President Bashar  Al-Assad as “frank and responsible “.

Speaking to reporters,  al-Ibrahimi said “we have discussed the Syrian issue looking forward to solve the crisis and restore peace and security to it.”

“I tackled with President al-Assad ceasefire during Eid al-Adha holiday.. I also talked with all those whom I met inside and outside Syria about this personal initiative which isn’t part of the peace process that we seek for this country.” al-Ibrahimi added.

He sees that it is possible to build on the implementation of ceasefire during the four-day holiday, noting that he will come back to Damascus after the Eid .

“All the opposition members we met outside the country as well as the officials in the neighboring countries said that it is a good idea.” the envoy said.

He stressed that his agenda is based on serving the Syrian people, wishing them a blessed Eid.  

“I’ll come back after the holiday. If there was calm during it, we would build on it..,and even it there wasn’t, we would work to realize calm,” al-Ibrahimi said.

Asked about his plan on the Syrian issue, the envoy answered: “We are working to prepare this plan in cooperation with the internal and external parties.”

He pointed out that there are no guarantees from the armed groups to abide by the ceasefire as this matter is related to each one’s conscious, confirming that the Syrian people themselves would punish them if they do not implement ceasefire.

Syria Times