In a statement to the representatives of European media, the president of the SAR Bashar Al-Assad stressed that the Western blockade imposed on Syria helps terrorists continue their criminal activities that lead to the death of people or force the Syrians to leave their homeland and move to the European and other countries.
The priority for the Syrian people at present is the fight against terrorism. It is impossible to talk about politics when a person at any time and for no reason can become a victim of a terrorist attack.
Also, local political reconciliation in various parts of the country is a priority as well.
President Assad noted that terrorist acts are taking place almost daily in Syria, the reason for this is the remaining of insurgents on its territory. While they are there, the danger threatens every citizen.
According to the president, from the very beginning of the crisis in Syria, European politicians went on the wrong path, which led to its destruction, spreading of terrorism in the region, terrorist attacks in many EU countries and the emergence of a migration crisis. Western countries involved in Syria’s support for terrorists, not a political process of which they only talk. Iran’s role is to assist Syria in the fight against terrorism and in supporting the political process at the regional and international arenas. Israel on the contrary directly supports terrorists.
As for the role of Russia, the Syrian leader confirmed that only after the beginning of its air strikes against terrorists, the territory controlled by this organization began to decline. The Russian and Syrian armies together have achieved success in the fight against terrorism, as evidenced by the liberation of Aleppo and Palmyra, as well as other areas of the country. Assad pointed out that Russia, before any political or military step, always consults with the Syrian leadership.
President Assad noted that the collapse of the Soviet Union led to a political imbalance in the UN, as some countries – permanent members of the Security Council, such as France, the United Kingdom and the United States – tried to use this organization in their political interests and to overthrow their unwelcome national governments. He stressed that the words “the president should go” do not play any role for him, since such questions can be solved only by the Syrian people.
Answering the question about the migration crisis and the victims of the war in Syria, the President noted that Europeans are indirectly guilty of this to some extent because they supported the terrorists from the very beginning and still call them “moderate”, although they themselves know that this is incorrect, they are all murderers. After all, you can not say that there is a moderate killer or moderate terrorist.
Assad added that many have left Syria due to Western sanctions, which have played an additional role in the destruction of the country and the death of its citizens.
As the president pointed out, every Syrian activist must protect his country, which is what the leadership of the SAR does, negotiating with armed groups for the speedy cessation of the shedding of civilians’ blood. According to the Syrian leader, Western leaders should repent of supporting the terrorists and calling them “moderate”. These figures should regret what they did, while “we only defended our Motherland”.
On the question of whether any errors were committed in the Syrian policy, the president said that constantly analyzes the political course of the country, in order to avoid them. However, when it comes to the implementation of the planned miscalculations may be admitted; mainly for public institutions, rather than the president’s activities.
Referring to the future of Syria after emerging from the crisis and the forthcoming reforms, Assad stressed that the war, which was planned from the outside, is a bitter lesson for any society. Therefore, the country should become better than it was, the Syrians must unite to solve the problem.
The Syrian leader noted that his task at present is to promote an inter-Syrian dialogue on the political form of government in the future – either presidential, parliamentary or mixed.
Assad pointed to the need to preserve state institutions, such as the army, ministries and government, which should be reflected in the country’s Constitution. In the end, he added, all this will depend on the results of the referendum. It is too early to talk about this now, since at the moment the main priority is the fight against terrorism and its elimination. In addition, local reconciliation in different parts of the country is another priority issue.
On the question whether it can be said that politics in the Middle East is held under the slogan “either I will kill you or you will kill me”, Assad confirmed that the existence of such concepts is connected with mentality, but basically this is not inherent in the genuine culture of the peoples in the region. However, such extremist slogans emerged under the influence of Wahhabi ideology. It is still impossible to say that there is a civil war in Syria, it is a battle with similar extremist ideas, whose supporters do not tolerate dissent. This is a temporary phenomenon, to which the Syrians resolutely oppose, so that it does not take root in society.
The President drew attention to the fact that extremist militants came from Europe, where they were imbued with the ideology of extremism and Wahhabism. Most of the leaders of terrorist groups are from European countries.
President Al-Assad stressed that the level of education, media and politics play an important role in the formation of extremist terrorist ideas and influence the behavior of a person in society.