Al-Assad interview with New York Times: Syria's vision towards ME developments
Syria-USA, Politics, 12/2/2003

Syria's President Bashar al-Assad granted the New York Times an extensive interview on Syria's policy on regional issues.

The President said in response to a question on the revival of the peace process "we not only wish, but always call openly in our meetings and our political discourse for this thing. We persistently call all the international parties which may help launch the negotiationsÉfor the start of the peace process. But the role of the U.S. remains the basis of this work.. We call the U.S. firstly to propose a clear vision of the peace process, and secondly to propose the proper means for achieving this job, and thirdly to the launch itÉwe in Syria are always ready to launch the peace process as it was initiated in Madrid in 1991."

As for signals from the U.S. administration, the President said "we talked with several American officials about this pointÉand some officials or Arab and European leaders also talked with them on this subject. They showed interest but not to this stage, i.e. there is agreement on the principle but it is postponed. They are now interested in the Palestinian track, but all those interested know that peace cannot achived unless it is integrated. So far, we see no clues that indicate they are going to start soon the peace process on the Syrian track."

Regarding the resumption of the peace process, al-Assad stressed that: Syria has no conditions for the resumption of the negotiations, which should start from where they stopped, because they have accomplished considerable progress, and about 80 percent was accomplished through the negotiations.

On US President George W. Bush's vision, Al-Assad indicated that Syria agrees with Bush's proposal that calls for two Palestinian and Israeli states and for the removal of the settlements, but they remain general principles, unless there are the means to turn this vision into a reality.

He added that the United States should be an honest broker with all the parties and not take sides. He pointed out that the party that earnestly wants peace is the party that would implement the UN. Security Council resolutions, and the party that stands against peace is the party that doesn't implement the UN. Security Council resolutions.

Regarding relations after the peace is established, the president said that the aim of the negotiations is to have two states living in peace.

On the relations with Lebanese Hizbullah party, the president underlined that Syria supports the Lebanese national resistance that fights within the Lebanese territories against occupation, and that the Shebaa Farms is small part of Lebanon and not Syrian as Israel claims.

The president indicated that Syria is misunderstood, because the problem in the relations with the United States is that they put the things that are connected with Israel at the center of the Syrian-American relations.

On the situation in Iraq, Al-Assad indicated that Syria expected the results of the American invasion to have resulted in chaos which would harm Iraq and the neighboring area, and even at a wider area, and that unless an elected government replaces the Anglo-American occupation, chaos in Iraq will continue.

As for the current situation in Iraq, the president stressed that the Iraqi people see that the situation as worse than the situation before the war.

On the Iraqi possession of mass destruction weapons, President al-Assad stressed that Syria doesn't think that there are mass destruction weapons in Iraq, seven months have passed since the invasion, and no trace of the mass destruction weapons have been found.

On combating international terrorism, President al-Assad underlined that Syria has extended help to the United States in combating terrorism because there are mutual interest in combating terrorism.

He underlined that the Israeli factor is behind every deterioration in the Syrian-American relations. On Syria's Accountability Act, President al-Assad indicated that such an Act is an obstacle in the development of bilateral relations, and unless there is bilateral cooperation, there will be difficulty in reaching any result in any issue. America is important for the stability, the peace process and for Iraq, but at the same time, peace cannot be established in the region without Syria.

On reform in Syria, the president indicated the main obstacle on the road to reform is the qualified personnel, and a successful management without which you can not achieve progress, and Syria is cooperating with France in the administrative reform to overcome this obstacle.

Regarding relations with Israel after the establishment of peace, the president indicated that relations between governments will be a matter of signing some procedures, but relations between people takes time and depends on will, and the Syrian people are looking for peace which is just and comprehensive.

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