Syrian President Bashar al-Assad gave an extensive interview aired Saturday night by Al Jazeera TV.
During the interview, the Syrian leader said that there is a state of frustration and despair prevailing most of the Arabs due to the current situation.
On the situation in Palestine, Assad said that there is an on going campaign of assassination where there is no difference except in time between the assassination of Sheikh Ahmad Yassin, Dr. Rantisi and the massacres of Sabra and Shatila and other massacres committed in 1948 and prior to that date.
He added that it is an on going situation and nothing new. "It is Israel expressing itself not by words but by the freedom of killing and this is the Israeli democracy."
Regarding Syria’s initiative for the resumption of talks with Israel, the Syrian leader commented by saying "it was not an initiative but a repeated Syrian stance on every occasion, speech or interview or meeting with foreigners."
Assad stressed that Syria has always expressed readiness for peace in line with the resolutions of UN Security Council.
On the Israeli claims which say Syria not cooperating enough against Palestinian groups, Assad said that "they want us to cooperate with them to liquidate the Palestinian cause entirely and may be the Syrian Golan issue."
Regarding the resistance option, the Syrian president said that "as long as the resistance is a popular situation then it is legitimate and is not linked to persons and in that light the Lebanese resistance emerged victorious."
Regarding the Syrian role in the Palestinian developments, Assad indicated that there is a correlation of destiny between the Palestinian and the Syrian issues and both are affected by the development of each track. "What about the fate of half a million Palestinians living in Syria and what about the fate of a similar number of Palestinian living in Lebanon particularly that both the Syrian and Lebanese tracks are inseparable," the president asked.
Regarding the situation in Iraq, he said that Syria has always stressed that the Americans will sink in a "quagmire" as the forces of occupation always do.
Regarding the resistance against occupation in Iraq, Assad stressed that since the resistance is popular in Iraq, then it is legitimate. (Albawaba.com)
© 2004 Al Bawaba (www.albawaba.com)
