Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem affirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is undertaking serious efforts to put a stop to the bloodshed in Syria and restore stability to the region.
In response to President Putin’s invitation for a regional coalition to combat terrorism, the foreign minister told Russia Today TV that countries, which have conspired for more than four years by backing and arming terrorists against the Syrian people, require a miracle to change their policies on supporting terrorism.
“I believe that the move of terrorism from Syria and Iraq into the Gulf states and the explosions in Saudi Arabia, then in Kuwait were as an alarm set”, Moallem said.
On the possibility of Syrian security coordination with neighboring states, the foreign minister said: “As for combating terrorism, we are ready to coordinate with all sides because this phenomenon will affect the security and stability of the neighboring countries and the whole world”.
Responding to questions on whether the latest battles in Syria’s north would affect the government’s stance towards negotiable concessions, Muallem said the opposition “planned for that, but we in Syria believe that the political solution is the final one to end the crisis”.
Muallem addressed accusations of the Syrian government’s exploitation of minorities in Hassakeh and Suweida, affirming that Suweida’s families and their support to the Syrian government and army protected the city from the crimes of terrorists; likewise, the people in Hassakeh continue to defend their house and land in cooperation with the Syrian army.
Regarding the possibility of parliamentary elections in Syria, Muallem stated: “Elections will be held in the summer of 2016 according to the Syrian constitution regardless of the field situation”, also affirming that President Bashar al-Assad has a popular mandate to serve.
“The Syrian people have supported President Assad because he is the safety net for Syria who will restore it to the shore of safety”, Moallem said.
“But to say that there is no calm in Syria or no end to violations in it except after the departure of President Assad, this is a silly stance which won’t indicate a political experience because President Assad is not Syria, but he is the protector of Syria”, Muallem concluded.
