Shaaban: Syria’s decision always independent, New York meeting outdid Riyadh conference

Damascus – Presidential Political and Media Advisor Bouthaina Shaaban said the adoption of the Security Council’s resolutions 2253 and 2254 was prompted by the West’ failure in Syria, the success of the Russian-Chinese vision and the spread of terrorism to the US and France.

The war on Syria aims at imposing tutelage on it, which makes it of great importance that resolution 2254 has asserted the Syrian people’s right to self-determination and maintaining its sovereignty and territorial integrity, Shaaban added according to Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).

 She also referred to resolution 2253 that called for draining the resources of terrorism, saying this was a Syrian demand in the first place.

Putting this resolution into effect depends on whether the terrorism-sponsoring countries come to believe that they have reached an impasse and have to change their position, said Shaaban, adding that now it is high time that the resolution be implemented if there is an international will and real intention to stop targeting and draining Syria.

Essential for the implementation of these resolutions is having the Turkish borders closed to the terrorists and having the countries funding and arming terrorists held accountable, Shaaban noted.

“If they do that, it would be a real prelude to an effective political process with us definitely involved,” she said.

The presidential advisor affirmed that the Syrian decision will be extremely independent in the negotiations.

Asked about whether the Russian-U.S. understanding is going to be at Syria’s expense, Shaaban said differentiation should be made between what is put down on papers and what tendentious media try to promote.

“Nothing will be imposed on the Syrian state or happen at its expense,” she added, stressing that “We are confident about the Russian-Syrian relationship and the kind of cooperation, understanding and communication between us.”

In her comments about the contradicting Western statements on resolution 2254, Shaaban said “It is not easy for the West to come to terms with this retreat.”

Shaaban saw that New York meeting has outdone Riyadh conference and that the Saudi regime was stymied by what happened in New York.

She made it clear that the worse has passed for Syria and the situation is much better now than before.

Commenting on Israel’s assassination of the longest-serving Arab prisoner in the Israeli jails Samir Kuntar, Shaaban said “Martyr Kuntar has surpassed the limits of geography, being a martyr for Arabsim and rights in Palestine, Lebanon and Syria.”

“Israel however cannot assassinate the resistance,” she added.