ad-Dostour: Information Minister renewed Syria's position towards peace
Syria-Regional, Politics, 2/25/2004

Syria's Information Minister Ahmad al-Hassan reiterated Syria's commitment to the international resolutions, the land-for-peace principle and "Madrid terms of reference" which confirm that peace has its foundations, particularly by the Israeli withdrawal from all the occupied Arab lands.

The Minister, in statements to ad-Dostour Jordanian daily newspaper published Tuesday, said Syria is aware of Israel's dangers of ignoring the understandings already reached on the Syrian track and its goal to re-negotiate from the point they left off.

He stressed that any Israeli talk on the return to negotiations from the zero point means that Tel Aviv rejects peace and its foundations, adding that under this situation, the American sponsor of the Middle East peace process is called on to be an honest and unbiased partner, and to abandon its bias in support to the Israeli occupation so that peace hopes can be revived.

The Minister added that Israel's rejection of the peace foundations and its continued occupation of the Syrian Arab Golan, the West Bank and the Lebanese Shebaa Farms in fact lead up to the burying and undermining of the peace process because occupation and peace contradict each other.

He renewed Syria's rejection of the campaign of accusations and allegations launched by Israel and its allies against Syria concerning the weapons of mass destruction (WMD) which aim at weakening Syria's position and its insistence on the restoration of its legitimate rights. He emphasized that Syria stands for the elimination of all WMD, including the nuclear, in the region, and sees that the Israeli nuclear arsenal should not be kept out of the international agreements and treaties banning the use or making such weapons.

The Minister added that out of this stance, Syria has put forward its initiative through a draft resolution to the UN security Council on behalf of the Arab group at the international organization calling for the elimination of WMD in the region. On Syria's stance over terrorism, the Minister of Information underlined that Syria had been the first to draw a specific definition that distinguishes between terrorism and resistance, adding that Syria, as many other countries, was a victim to terrorism.

He said Syria calls for concerted regional and international efforts through the international decision-making institutions and the international legitimacy to seriously confront terrorism away from the double-standard policy or the imposition of dictations or hegemony. "Syria sees that occupation is the peak of terrorism," he stressed.

On the issue of the British embassy in Damascus, the Minister of Information said the embassy itself indicated that it took arrangements in line with the new method being taken by British embassies across the world following the attack on the British public consulate in Istanbul, Turkey. He added that the British embassy in Damascus didn't close its doors to the public for any reasons but took procedures in granting visas for the applicants, and subsequently it was made clear that all what had been said was unfounded and misleading.

On the Syrian-Jordanian relations, the Minister said they are strong and based on fraternity, cooperation and trust, adding that no passing clouds could affect those firm ties. He stressed that those relations are stronger than any attempts to cast doubts and suspicions on the ties binding the two peoples of Syria and Jordan who seek their benefit and the interest of the Arab Nation as crowned by the recent summit between President Bashar al-Assad and King Abdulla II of Jordan after the inauguration of al-Wahda Dam.

Previous Stories:
  Information Minister outlines Syria's policy towards ME developments   (2/16/2004)
  Damascus Arab Labor conference deliberations in labor movement   (2/13/2004)
  Al-Hawadeth: Syria welcomes efforts for ME peace process revival, highlights developments   (2/7/2004)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search