Foreign and Expatriates Ministry: Some Media Outlets Deliberately Put Its Statement Delivered by Makdissi Out of Context
Jul 24, 2012
DAMASCUS, (SANA) – The Foreign and Expatriates Ministry issued a statement commenting on how some negative media outlets dealt with its previous statement delivered by spokesman Dr. Jihad Makdissi, deliberately taking it out of context and portraying it as a declaration of possessing non-traditional weapons by Syria.
The Ministry said that the goal of the statement and the press conference wasn’t to declare but rather to respond to a methodical media campaign targeting Syria to prepare world public opinion for the possibility of military intervention under the false premise of weapons of mass destruction (similar to what happened with Iraq) or the possibility of using such weapons against terrorist groups or civilians, or transporting them to a third party.
The statement affirmed that such allegations are completely false, noting that nonetheless they are dangerous allegations as they are made by the same sides that are rallying against Syria in mass media and international circles, noting that these are the same sides that fabricated lies about Iraqi weapons of mass destruction which turned out to be false later.
The Ministry said that Makdissi’s statements were meant to explain the state’s general defensive policies in response to false media speculations and allegations, stressing the need to commit to precision and professionalism in news related to Syria and putting them in the proper context.
Earlier, Foreign and Expatriates Ministry spokesman Dr. Jihad Makdissi responded to a question on developments in some neighborhoods in Damascus and outskirts by saying that “it is clear that the Syrian army is defending the Syrians and that we are in state of self-defense. There might be clashes in certain areas but the security situation is much more better.”
He added that the state will respond to those who carry weapons in the same way, stressing that doors are open those who call for dialogue and adopt political solution.
Makdissi noted that the media labels what is happening as the “great battle of Damascus” and wondered how can such a battle against armed sides be fought if not in a military manner, even if some civilians were forced out of their houses, adding that Damascus Governorate is cooperating with charity organizations to provide help for those people.
He stressed that this is an urgent situation that won’t last for more than one or two days before things go back to normal, pointing out that those who follow the Syrian media can see those who are arrested and the operations being carried out to establish peace.
Regarding news on armed terrorist groups taking control of border crossings with Turkey and Iraq, Makdissi said that two such border crossings are out of control which were already abandoned and out of service since last June.
Commenting on the statement of the Arab Ministerial Committee in Doha, Makdissi said that changing Annan’s mission is not at the hands of the Arabs and that it’s mere wishes they make and constitutes political hypocrisy, underlining that talking about a transitional authority system constitutes a flagrant interference in the internal affairs of a sovereign state.
Makdissi regretted that the Arab League has descended to this immoral level in dealing with a founding state and the fact that instead of helping Syria, they are complicating the situation further.
He said that the Syrian people make their own decisions and that they are the ones who will meet for dialogue, and the results of this dialogue will be binding as the decisive factor is the ballot boxes and sitting down for dialogue serving Syria’s interests and not the interests of others.
Makdissi said that if these Arab countries were honest in wanting to end the shedding of Syrian blood, then they should stop arming and harboring terrorists and instigating through the media against Syria because these acts can’t contribute to overcoming the crisis in peaceful ways.
He added that the alleged keenness of these Arab countries is fake and proves their political hypocrisy.
As for the statements of the Russian ambassador in Paris, Makdissi stressed that the Russian diplomat is the only one to clarify his statements, not the Syrian Foreign Ministry.
He went on to add that Syria has agreed to a political process within Annan’s plan which was approved by the UN Security Council and agreed to a political process led by Syria and the Syrians, adding “We will commit to what the Syrians agree upon, but not what the west agrees upon.”
Regarding the tumult regarding the recent Security Council decision to extend the observer mission, Makdissi highlighted that Syria didn’t request Annan’s mission; rather the international community pretended that it wanted to help Syria, noting that they had sent an Arab observer mission earlier then they themselves foiled it, not Syria.
He hoped that the UN observer mission will be successful, noting that shifting or amending this mission is entrusted to the Security Council and reaffirming Syria’s commitment to the success of Annan’s plan.
Makdissi stressed that the obstacles hindering Annan’s plan aren’t caused by Syria, but rather by those who fund, arm and harbor terrorists and those who speak of weapons of mass destruction and prepare the public opinions for things that will not happen.
Answering a question on the external political escalation which synchronies with a visit of the US Secretary of Defense to Israel to discuss the possibility of targeting the sites of Syrian weapons, Makdissi said that “Even though I don’t know the agenda of the visit, but the reasons can’t be good… They are making a media and political campaign and they are leading it, while we say that we are in a state of self-defense.”
On the possibility of a comprehensive war taking place in the region in case Israel decided to attack Syria, Makdissi said “Don’t ask a diplomat about a war option, I’m not talking about a war and, God willing, there will be no war.”
Regarding the issue of the appearance of Hussam Hussam, the “witness” in the assassination of former Lebanese Premier Rafik Hariri, in a video broadcast by some channels in which he claimed that he has surprises regarding that case, Makdissi said he saw that Youtube clip like everyone else, noting that Hussam contradicted himself, adding “we don’t want to spoil the surprise… we will wait and hear these surprises.”
Information Minister: Foreign Media and Diplomatic Misconstrued Foreign Ministry Statement and Put it Out of Context
Jul 23, 2012
DAMASCUS, (SANA) – Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi said that foreign media and diplomatic sides misconstrued the Foreign Ministry statement and interpreted it however they like, taking it out of context, noting that the Foreign Ministry issued a statement clarifying this.
Al-Zoubi told Sham FM Radio on Monday that there’s an international campaign led by US-Israeli diplomacy under the guise of warning against alleged chemical weapons that Syria supposedly possesses, and that this campaign is part of ongoing pressure to pass an international resolution under the pretext of preserving world peace.
The Minister noted that Syria has been calling for dismantling weapons of mass destruction in the region for more than two decades, which includes Israeli nuclear weapons which Israel admitted to possessing.
He explained that when Syria discussed these allegations, it’s merely responding to claims and lies from western diplomatic or intelligence sides, no more, no less, and that when the Foreign Ministry spokesman says that Syria will not use chemical weapons against its people, then this doesn’t mean that Syria has such weapons in the first place.
“They interpreted this answer as a saying that Syria admits to possessing chemical weapons; these are their wishes and obsessions, but the meaning is in a whole other context,” he concluded.
Putin: Crisis in Syria Must Be Resolved Through Negotiations
Jul 23, 2012
MOSCOW, (SANA) – Russian President Vladimir Putin said that the crisis in Syria must be resolved through negotiations and compromises, warning that any change of the authority in Syria in a non-legitimate manner – which means that the opposition and the current leadership would switch places – would lead to a civil war that could last for years.
In statements following talks with Italian Prime Minister Mario Monti in the city of Sochi on Monday, Putin said that the Syrian leadership and what is referred to as armed opposition must find strength within themselves to reach acceptable compromises for the sake of the country’s future.
Putin affirmed that Syria’s future mustn’t be based on military defeat or victory for one side, but rather on negotiations and compromises, underlining the series of actions that must be taken to restore the situation in Syria to normal and stressing the need to end violence.
On the agreements reached in the UN to extend the observer mission in Syria, Putin said they show that compromises can be made in the UN despite differences on priorities, and that all participants in the process can reach an agreement to benefit everyone, stressing that the most important issue is the well-being of the Syrian people.
Syria Denounces Strongly Bombings in Iraq which Resulted in Hundreds of Deaths and Injuries
Jul 23, 2012
DAMASCUS, (SANA) – The Foreign and Expatriates Ministry on Monday denounced strongly the series of bombings and terrorist attack which took place in several areas in Iraq, resulting in hundreds of deaths and injuries among innocent civilians.
In a statement, the Ministry stressed that such terrorist acts aim to destabilize Iraq and preventing it from returning to normal, and that terrorism continues to strike at the Iraqi people without discrimination.
The Ministry called on the Iraqi people to overcome pain and work to restore Iraq to a health state, affirming that the terrorists who carry out such bloody crimes in Iraq are mistaken in believing that they can affect the will and faith of the Iraqi people and their determination to build a safe and stable Iraq.
The Ministry offered the government and people of Iraq the sincerest condolences for those who died in these attacks and its deepest sympathies to the families of the victims, wishing the wounded a swift recovery.
Iran: Calls for Military Intervention in Syria Outside UNSC Will Cost Very Dearly
Jul 23, 2012
TEHRAN, (SANA) – Speaker of Iranian Shura Council, Ali Larijani warned against many countries’ attempts seeking military intervention in Syria outside the UN Security Council, adding that the repercussions of such behavior will reach the neighboring countries.
In a statement to al-Alam TV channel on Sunday, Larijani said that the calls by many countries inside the region and abroad for military intervention in Syria will cost very dearly.
He added that military intervention in Syria will not achieve calm, rather it will turn the country into a conflict stage between all forces and the Syrian people will be greatly affected.
Larijani stressed that Syria is the axis of resistance and the countries which seek sabotaging Syria don’t seek realistic reforms but they try to seize the opportunity to eliminate the axis of resistance.
He indicated to the impressive reaction of these countries towards the explosion which hit the National Security HQ in Damascus as the US, Britain and other western countries did not condemn this terrorist act, instead of that they expressed relief that it is time to change the government in Syria and take serious steps at the UN Security Council.
Larijani underscored certain points made by western officials which indicated that the terrorist explosion of the National Security HQ in Damascus was planned to refer the Syrian file to the UNSC.
For the US, not all terrorist acts are bad and since the terrorist operations taking place in Damascus came in line with their will, they are good, said Larijani.
He added that many Gulf countries which lack the minimum standards of democracy are still supplying the armed terrorist groups in Syria with money and arms.
It is a must in any state to achieve security before making political reforms, said Larijani, adding that after one year and a half of what is happening in Syria, it seems clear that these countries which call for freedom and democracy have other goals and they are not interested in the aspirations of the Syrian people. He expressed belief that if security restored in Syria, reforms will be achieved in Syria but they leave no room for such thing to happen.
He added that the opposition in Syria is not stable and it consists of different parties, indicating that the instigation by some countries prevented the launch of dialogue between the government and the opposition.
Larijani stressed Iran’s readiness to provide help if the UN Special Envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan, succeeded in holding dialogue with the opposition members.
It is Iran’s duty to defend the Islamic Nation, said Larijani, adding that after one year and a half, everything was revealed and the involvement of Israel, the US and some countries in the region to eliminate the resistance rather than ssympathy with the Syrian people was exposed.
Larijani considered the Israeli threats against Syria as inapplicable, stressing that the involvement of the Israeli entity in such circumstances is not a possibility.
Salehi Reiterates Calls for Resolving Syrian Crisis Through Dialogue
In a statement to al-Aalam news channel on Monday, Iranian Foreign Minister Ali Akbar Salehi reiterated calls for resolving the crisis in Syria through dialogue, affirming that Tehran is prepared to host dialogue between the Syrian government and the opposition.
He said that Syrian has seen enough destruction, murder and terrorism, hoping that the opposition which rejects these horrible acts to convene and Iran and enter talks with the Syrian government, which has already announced readiness for this.
Salehi also noted that there are many attempts by western countries to further complicate matters in the Syrian issue.
Abdollahian: US and Its Allies Adopting New Model in Their War on Syria
Deputy Foreign Minister for African and Arab Affairs Hossein Amir-Abdollahian affirmed that the US and its allies are adopting a new model in their war on Syria, stressing that terrorism and arming terrorist will not avail them.
In a statement, Abdollahian said that the option of war and arming terrorists will not solve the current crisis, and that the optimal choice is the political solution, adding that continuing the foreign interference in Syria will create a state of instability and lack of security that will spread across the entire region.
He said that the global alliance now targeting Syria has been defeated before in their war on Lebanon, and that it’s certain that it will face another major defeat in their terrorist war against Syria.
Abdollahian also reiterated his country’s support for the Syrian people and the reforms undertaken by the Syrian leadership.
Head of UN Investigation Team: There is a Propaganda War against Syria
Jul 23, 2012
MADRID, (SANA) – Head of the UN Investigating Team on Syria Paulo Pinheiro on Monday said that there is a propaganda war against Syria.
In a speech to the Spanish Newspaper of El Pais, Pinheiro said that some of death tolls, reports on the number of victims and video footage are baseless.
Pinheiro added that starting the work of the team before finishing the training course will result in deteriorating the situation, adding that there no solution to the crisis in Syria other than a political one.
On the massacres which took place in al-Houla and al-Treimseh, Pinheiro said that information needed for identifying the sides responsible for these massacres is not clear.
Syrian TV Shows Bodies of Terrorists of Arab Nationalities Killed by the Syrian Army in al-Qaboun Neighborhood
Jul 23, 2012
DAMASCUS, (SANA) – The Syrian TV showed footage of bodies of terrorists from Egypt and Jordan who were killed by the Syrian armed forces when it was clearing al-Qaboun neighborhood in Damascus from armed terrorist groups.
The terrorists are Abdullah al-Desuqi Musa’ad Bassal and Yasser Abdelrazzaq Kamel Ibrahim from Egypt, Fares Faleh al-Ghazi, Usama Abdelqader Ahmad al-Zahabi, and Ahmmad Abullah al-Zahabi from Jordan.
Earlier, the Syrian TV showed footage of other terrorists who came from Tunisia and Libya, with Turkey and other neighboring countries providing facilitations to allow these murderers to enter Syria and kill its people.
The Times newspaper had reported that the so-called “rebels” in Syria are no more than mercenaries who are funded and given weapons from external sides.
Ministry of State for Environment Affairs Calls on World Public Opinion to Confront Israeli Aggressive Practices in Occupied Golan
Jul 23, 2012
DAMASCUS, (SANA)_The Ministry of State for Environment Affairs called upon the world public opinion and upon concerned environment organizations to confront the aggressive practices of the Israeli occupation authorities in the occupied Syrian Golan, which aim to deplete its resources.
In a statement on Monday, the Ministry said that the Israeli occupation is deliberately causing fire in Ein El-Tineh, al-Shita, al-Hamidieh, Bir Ajam, Breika, Kodneh and al-Rafeed, adding that the fire burned thousands of acres of oak trees and plenty of rare plant species.
The statement indicated that the Israeli occupation has uprooted thousands of apple and cherry trees in Golan for Israeli military purposes, displaced Syrian citizens, buried nuclear, chemical and industrial materials in the land and deprived the Syrian citizens of their right in investing their lands and properties.
The ministry underlined the importance of putting pressure on the Israeli occupation authorities to abide by the Golan-relevant resolutions and refrain from exploiting its natural resources or any measures that could harm the environment.
Information Ministry Warns of Plans to Hijack Syrian Channels’ Frequencies to Broadcast False News on Alleged Coup d’etat or Defections
Jul 22, 2012
DAMASCUS, (SANA) – A Information Ministry source on Sunday warned that Western intelligence are planning in cooperation with some Arab parties to hijack the frequencies of Syrian satellite channels for some time to broadcast false news on alleged coup d’etat or certain military defections or the fall of certain cities and the like.
The Ministry source added that the frequencies of Syrian channels are to be hijacked through broadcast control stations in neighboring countries, noting that false news might be broadcast by Syrian presenters and journalists who work for Arab and Western channels or who might be or have been abducted and pressured to present such false news.
The Ministry stressed that any news that might be broadcast with regard to such alleged information are completely baseless and should be regarded by the citizens as being part of the misleading and fabrication campaign launched against Syria.
Information Source: News Broadcast by Some Satellite Channels on Aerial Bombardment of Some Places in Damascus Baseless
Earlier, an information source refuted as baseless the news broadcast by some satellite channels on aerial bombardment of some areas in Damascus.
The source stressed normal life in Damascus, adding that the authorities, in cooperation with locals, are chasing vanquished terrorists in certain streets.