Syrian Ambassador to Jordan, Bahjat Suleiman confirmed Tuesday that President Bashar Assad will not be a part of any transitional government.
Suleiman said this was because Assad, as President, and not a minister, is the legitimate, elected head of the Syrian Arab Republic and the commander-in-chief of the army and armed forces.
As such, Suleiman said, Assad is the only one able to issue a decree on the formation of a transitional government, and the only one who will have a say on which ministerial candidates can join this government.
Suleiman added that the transitional government, which everyone is talking about, derives its legitimacy solely from the position of Assad, and not from any other party or international players.
In an article published on the Al-Wahda Network News webpage titled 'Only Syrian Soldiers will Determine the Geneva Statement,' Suleiman said Assad is the first and the only Arab leader, the embodiment of Arab resoluteness, and the future of the Arab Nation. He said Assad will not only lead Syria, but will serve as a leader and inspiration to all new and emerging liberation movements throughout the Arab world. Assad, he said, need not ask permission from anyone, and that when the worn, and corroded subsidiary and subservient systems are overthrown, they will be replaced with new national systems that restore stolen rights to their rightful owners.
Assad, he said, is a leader to the free people of the Arabs nation who seek freedom, dignity, pride and true independence, the freedom to enjoy the fruits of their country's wealth, rather than share it between the neo-colonialists and their pawns operating inside Syria.
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Comment: (The Syrian Observer)
Bahjat Suleiman is a relative of al-Assad family. He headed the Syrian Intelligence Directorate for years and was Syria's strong man before Assad apointed him Ambassador to Amman.
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