Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
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Beirut, SANA – Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem said that there’s a shift in the positions of the states that supported terrorists in Syria after they came to realize that it’s no longer possible to achieve the goals of the conspiracy against Syria.
In an interview given to al-Mayadeen TV channel, al-Moallem said that Syria is “writing the last chapter of the crisis” and is moving steadily towards rebuilding what the terrorists destroyed, and that this belief is based on the victorious of the Syrian Arab Army which liberated large areas in a short amount of time, as well as the shift in the positions of the states that supported terrorists after they came to realize that it’s no longer possible to achieve the goals of the conspiracy against Syria.
The Minister affirmed that the goal is to liberate every inch of Syrian soil, and this is not by depending on other states’ policies but rather on the Syrian people, armed forces, and leadership, stressing that no-one has the right to decide Syria’s future on behalf of the Syrian people.
Regarding the US presence on Syrian soil, al-Moallem said that there’s a difference between the legitimate Russian presence and the US presence which constitutes an aggression against Syria’s sovereignty, adding that evidence shows that when US warplanes target areas in Raqqa and Deir Ezzor under the pretext of fighting ISIS, they kill innocent civilians by the thousands, while only killing a few ISIS terrorists.
On reports about the US transporting ISIS leaders via helicopters from Deir Ezzor, al-Moallem said that this is a question for the US, positing that maybe the US is keeping them to use them elsewhere.
Regarding the call for displaced people to return to Syria, the Minister said that the government guarantees their safety but it can’t force anyone to return, as such a return would be voluntary to contribute to rebuilding the country.
Speaking on his meeting with his Lebanese counterpart, al-Moallem said that this meeting is natural and it is necessitated by the reality of the history and geography.
He said that Russian President Vladimir Putin proved in practice his determination to fight terrorism, and that Russia today is a major international player providing unlimited support for Syria, adding that Russia is consolidating the principles of the UN and the principles of equality in the international relations, and the Syrian experience with the Soviet Union has proven that it Russians are honest and do not impose their positions.
The Minister asserted that the American military bases are temporary as proven by what happened in al-Tanf, and that Russia views the issue of Kurds as a Syrian internal issue, affirming that the Syrian government is capable of resolving this issue through dialogue in the future. He also said that any attempt at dividing Iraq is unacceptable.
On whether Turkey has altered its policy towards Syria after the recent agreement reached in Astana on a de-escalation zone in Idleb, al-Moallem said that the agreement will serve as a test for Turkey; if it succeeds and paves the way for Idleb to return to the homeland, then Turkey would have truly altered its policy.
Regarding the Geneva track, al-Moallem said that the Geneva track still can’t capitalize on what is being achieved in Astana, as it remains subject to the whims of forces that conspired against Syria.
The Minister affirmed that the Syrians and their partners and the states which haven’t conspired against Syria will participate in the reconstruction process, which is why President Bashar al-Assad launched the policy of looking to the east, because these partners are to the east, such as China, Russia, Iran, India, and even Pakistan.
He stressed that the parties which participated in shedding the blood of the Syrians are not allowed to participate in the reconstruction, and if the Europeans want to participate in the reconstruction process, they must lift the unilateral coercive measures imposed on Syria.
Hazem Sabbagh
