Assad: Recent war confirms correctness of Syria's approach to Lebanon's resistance
Syria-Lebanon, Politics, 8/16/2006

Syrias President Bashar al-Assad yesterday said that the recent war proved that Syria's approach to the Lebanese resistance was correct and disproved the approach of other Arab countries to the issue as wrong.

He made the remark at the inaugural ceremony of Syria's 4th Nationwide Reporters Union Congress in Damascus.

"The resistance is not against peace, but aims to prevent any aggression in case the peace trend fails.

"Israel's recent war against the Lebanese people proved that we are right and others are mistaken," he added.

Al-Assad said that despite its destructive military power, Israel has failed in its recent war on Lebanon.

"As a military power being internationally supported, Israel's power is rooted in the Arabs' weak morale," he said.

The Syrian president said that the international community does not show any reaction, unless Israel encounters some difficulty, adding that the recent move by the United Nation Security Council was also to this same end.

"We are now facing a new Middle East created as a consequence of resistance and uncovering the true face and potential of the enemies," he said.

The Syrian president said that a broad-based popular movement has started in all the countries of the Middle East -- a region which was once based on humiliation.

"The regional people are no more willing to keep silent and be humiliated under any pretext," he added.

In his speech, the president expounded on his country's approach to the recent developments, in particular the war initiated by the Zionist regime against Lebanon.

Criticizing the approach of France to the issue, he said, "Despite all the hues and cries raised by France over the assassination of the former Lebanese prime minister Rafic al-Hariri and its call for formation of an international committee to investigate the issue, will French officials call for a similar measure in case of Qana?" Assad called the March-14 group as a "consequence of May-17 agreement", which was inked between Lebanon and Israel in the 1980s.

The Syrian president referred to the March-14 group -- including the movements and figures opposing Syria and Lebanon's Hizbullah -- as an instrument in the hands of Israel and accused it of being the Zionist regime's mercenary.

Previous Stories:
  Bush: Cease-fire in Lebanon important step forward   (8/14/2006)
  Lebanese return home, UN aid, mines risk   (8/14/2006)
  UN Security Council resolution for Lebanon - Israel ceasefire: full text   (8/14/2006)
  Syrian PM: Damascus supports Lebanese government, nation   (8/3/2006)
  Hariri: National dialogue only path forward   (7/8/2006)
  Khaddam says al-Assad must have ordered Hariri murder   (6/13/2006)

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