“Syria: The Difficult Path from War to Peace”, a book by a Russian author at a symposium at Al-Assad Library

Damascus (ST): The Foreign and Expatriates  Ministry and the Russian Embassy in Damascus, in cooperation with the Ministry of Culture, held a symposium on a book entitled (Syria: The Difficult Path from War to Peace) by Maria Khodinskaya Golenisheva, Principal Adviser to the Department of Foreign Policy Planning in the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Russian Federation, at Al-Assad Library in Damascus.

The book, recently issued by the Syrian General Book Authority, combines historical presentation and political analysis of the events of the terrorist war against Syria since its outbreak, passing through its various stations on the ground, politically and in the media.

The importance of the book lies in the fact that its author Khodinskaya lived and experienced an important part of the events of the war on Syria, especially in the diplomatic aspect through her work with her country’s mission at the UN Office in Geneva.

Foreign and Expatriates Minister in the caretaker government, Dr. Faisal Miqdad, praised Russia’s political and diplomatic stances in support of Syria, as well as its support for the Syrian people and army in their war against terrorism at a time when some countries were supporting terrorism, killing and the continuation of the war on the Syrian people, expressing his appreciation for Khodinskaya’s efforts and her representation of her country’s positions through its defense of Syria.

The Special Representative of the President of the Russian Federation, the Russian Ambassador in Damascus, Alexander Yefimov, said that for a long time, we have become strategic partners, allies and family, and we have a common vision, and what unites us is our common struggle against terrorism to spread peace and stability, pointing to the importance of Khodinskaya’s book because it contains facts, especially with a lot of misinformation about the situation in Syria and the war that the country is witnessing, indicating that the writer was a witness and a participant in the developments of events through her presence on the diplomatic battlefield in Geneva, as well as in some field battles in Syria.

In her intervention, the Special Adviser to the Presidency of the Republic, Dr. Buthaina Shaaban, said that today, after the military war, we are facing a war over truth, and the Western media is accustomed to distorting facts in its favour. Therefore, the war that we are all fighting today is a very important war to show the truth to the world and to change its positions, considering that the war on Syria showed the truth.

Shaaban added: As a Syrian citizen, there is no difference for me between the Turkish and American role, and all that is said about the differences between them is misleading the world public opinion, while they represent the same agenda.

In turn, Khodinskaya considered that the occupation of part of the Syrian territory is illegal, and that Russia is watching Turkey’s movements in Syria and Libya, but it realizes the importance of dialogue with it as a regional player in order to reach a settlement of the outstanding issues with respect to Syria.

Dr. Tha’er Zain Al-Din, Director of the Book Authority, considered in a speech that the most important feature of the book, which is the fourth by the author on Syria, is that it looks at the Syrian issue as a point at which global interests clashed and a mirror that reflected the rejection of a number of countries of the uni-polar system that prevailed after the collapse of the Soviet Union.

In a statement to reporters, Al-Miqdad indicated that the lecture was an attempt to clarify what was happening in the political circles regarding Syria and it showed the strength of the Syrian-Russian relations and the smear campaigns carried out by Western countries against Syria, stressing the continuous quest to convey the fact that what the country is facing is a real terrorist war supported by countries claiming to be advocates of democracy and helping the Syrian people, but in fact they support terrorism and imposes siege and starvation on the Syrians.

K.Q.