Syria, India Discuss Enhancing Cooperation on Terrorism Fighting

DAMASCUS, (ST)-Syria and India are looking forward to enhancing cooperation on fighting terrorism and boosting bilateral relations.

During a meeting yesterday, Minister of Interior in the caretaker government Major-General Mohammad al-Sha’ar discussed with S.K. Sinha, the Indian Deputy Minister for External Affairs, means of strengthening Syria-India cooperation in the service of both countries’ interests.

Al-Sha’ar hailed India’s anti-terrorism stances and its support for Syria at international forums.

He said “Syria is facing foreign-backed terrorist groups coming from 83 countries to create divisions among the peoples of the region, mainly the Syrians.”

“What is going in Syria is real terrorism targeting the unity of the Syrian people and serving the schemes of Israel, America and their allies in the region through imposing foreign dictates on the Syrian people,” al-Sha’ar added.

For his part, Sinha affirmed India’s support for political and peaceful solution to the crisis in Syria, pointing out that Syria and India enjoy deeply-rooted relations and have a common vision on several international issues, including terrorism fighting, as both countries are suffering the repercussions of terrorism.

“We are looking forward to enhancing cooperation on fighting terrorism,” Sinha said, stressing India’s concern over having some Indians and East Asian persons joining the so-called Islamic State in Iraq and Levant (ISIL) terrorist organization and who may pose a serious threat to India upon returning home.

Haidar: Terrorist groups help Regional, Western countries implement their agendas in the region

In another meeting, Minister of State for National Reconciliation Affairs at the caretaker government Ali Haidar told Sinha that the ISIL and other terrorist organizations “are only pretexts for some regional and western countries to implement their agendas in the region.”

The minister, who affirmed that Syria had called for an accurate definition of terrorism and for combating this phenomenon across the world, warned of the “political purposes of the British initiative at the Security Council.” He urged distinction between fighting terrorism as an international project and countries’ internal affairs in which the West shouldn’t interfere under the slogan of combating terrorism.

Haidar asserted the Syrian government’s readiness to cooperate with India on tackling the files of the Indians who joined the terrorists groups in Syria.

For his part, the Indian diplomat reiterated the importance of international cooperation to fight terrorism.  

H. Mustafa