Friday, 9 January 2015

Bouthaina Shaaban: “Moscow Meeting will discuss bases of holding dialogue conference, Americans are confused”

Damascus, 8/1/2014 ~ Presidential Political and Media Advisor Dr. Bouthaina Shaaban stressed that Syria agreed to attend Moscow Meeting to hold talks on the bases of a Syrian-Syrian dialogue, indicating that what will take place is a consultative preliminary meeting during which the state and the opposition will sit to the table to consult together and discuss the bases according to which a dialogue conference will be held.

“What is suggested today is a dialogue between those who represent the Government and the people, and those who represent the opposition in Moscow, and Syria agreed on this Syrian-Syrian dialogue, indicating that there is more hope than what it was in Geneva”, Shabaan said in an interview with al-Mayadeen TV on Wednesday.

She added that the problem with Geneva was that those who target Syria were meeting with the opposition party everyday and they were telling them what they must say, reiterating that there is no comparison between the keenness of the Syrian state on Syria and some parties which ally with those who are against the country.

“The Americans want to see what Russia can do during the meeting (in Moscow), and if they see that the issue is suitable and serves their interests, they might join it and if they found that it doesn’t suit them, they can announce a different opinion, therefore, the US hasn’t officially declared till now any opinion in regard to the dialogue in Moscow,” Shaaban said.

She indicated that during her meeting with Jeffrey Feltman and Former US President Jimmy Carter in Norway, she felt that the Americans have at least started to understand the mistakes which they have committed in Syria and that they are convinced that the track which they have adopted will not lead to any place.

Shaaban added that Feltman was almost desperate regarding the opposition and he said

”We know that President al-Assad will stay, but we are searching for a way how to deal with that, ” While Carter was very enthusiastic to change the US stance and he announced in his deliberations before the conference which Shaaban attended that he advises the US administration “not to ask President al-Assad to step down.”
“They are searching for a road and they are not sure on which road they will walk … We have a problem as Arabs which is that we think that the West is always clear, know and ready…”NO”…They are confused,” Shaaban reiterated.

She clarified that what is taking place in the region should be seen from the perspective of a historical track and therefore, we can’t say that the war will end soon or will not end, but we can say that what is more difficult has ended, affirming the importance of recognizing the historic value of the Syrian people’s sacrifices, who sacrificed for a very importance issue which is Syria’ existence.

Shaaban said that the political move and atmosphere and the public international feeling indicate that the world has started to appreciate and understand Syria’s stance.

She affirmed that the performance of the Syrian people, army and government has been honorable in facing this war, it’s aim has been targeting the identity of Syria, indicating that Syria is more comforted on the political and military levels and on all tracks.

Shaaban said that those who destroy factories, schools and markets can’t be called opposition as the opposition all around the world is the opposition which is keen on preserving the homeland and there is no armed opposition in the world or an opposition which kill and destroy.

She stressed that we must get out of the notion of opposition, which has been made to us by the West to reach the concept of opposition in which the West believes regarding itself which is a national opposition that is keen on preserving the homeland and its people and institutions.

Commenting on the numbers of foreign takfiri terrorists in Syria and the concerns of the Western countries that they will return to them , Shaaban said that it is difficult to have specific numbers due to the nature of their existence in areas where they commit crimes, saying “The last number I have known is 20 thousand terrorists and if we include the Arabs there will be 60 thousand Arab and foreign fighters in Syria.”

She indicated that Syria has rejected security cooperation with the West and the US if it would’nt be accompanied by a political cooperation, adding that with regard to the airstrikes against the Islamic State in Syria and Iraq “ISIS” “They tell us before striking a certain place”.

Shaaban stressed that what is required from Syria internationally and regionally is what has been always required from it, which is not to be a country of resistance and not to have an ideological army or to have an independent decision, adding that the independence of decision and will are the main targets of this war.

She added that we must believe that the Arab-Israeli conflict is the map which directs all of these destruction in the Arab world, indicating that terrorists have been going to the Israeli hospitals since a year ago and that what is taking place in Quneitra and Golan proves that Israel is involved in terrorism which is targeting Syria.

She called upon the Arabs to unify their ranks in the face of terrorism which targets all of them, saying that the Zionist enemy boasts of occupying Palestine or its international relations such as during its aggression against Gaza in 2014 when it was proud of its relations with the Arabs.

Shaaban added that there has been no noticeable change in the stances of Saudi Arabia, Qatar or Turkey which sees the region from an Ottoman viewpoint, not only Syria, considering that what is taking place is a Turkish aggression against Syria as Turkey finances terrorists and supplies them with weapons and facilitates their entrance to Syria.

She indicated that the profits of Turkey which came as a result of the war against Syria have exceeded USD 30 billion through what has been stolen from the Syrian factories, heritage and money.

Regarding the Egyptian stance, Shaaban said

” We have always been talking positively about Egypt which is a brotherly country and the Egyptian Army is the brother of the Syrian Army…There is a history of amity between the two countries, and Egypt is passing through difficult circumstances now and our circumstances are also difficult, yet the mutual respect, amity and desire might allow our relations to witness a positive development in the future.”

Shaaban also reviewed many secrets and documents about what has been mentioned in her book “Ten Years with Hafez al-Assad”, particularly about the Syrian-Israeli negotiations and the US-Syrian relations.