Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi expressed astonishment over the participation of terrorism-supporting countries such as Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey in conferences for combating terrorism.
In an interview with Lebanese al-Manar TV channel on Monday, Zoubi said that these countries have been the most prominent backers of terrorism. He said it is illogical that a terrorist should be named in the counter-terrorism fight, just as it is illogical for a thief or a criminal to want to combat corruption and crime.
Zoubi added that the current discourse about counterterrorism tackles the international resolution no. 2170 selectively, and comically proposes the existence of “moderate opposition” in Syria, while at the same time excluding Iran, which is one of the most important elements of stability in the region, as well as the strong states of Russia and China.
The minister clarified that the objective of undermining the Syrian state is still being proposed by some parties, despite the fact that it is now too late to cling on to such a goal, thanks to the steadfastness of the Syrian national, popular, military, security, and political structure.
The U.S. administration implicitly acknowledges that no achievements can be made in the war on terrorism unless the alliance is built upon the serious engagement of all states of the region and recognizing the role of the Syrian state in doing so. The importance that Turkey, Qatar and Saudi Arabia represent is in terms of complying with thorough action, not political and media rhetoric, the minister added.
He pointed out that Syria approved resolution no. 2170 and was implementing it on the ground even before it was issued, paying a high price for its effort in confronting terrorism, just like Iraq has done.
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
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