Bashar al-Assad to WSJ: Israel is mistaken if ot thinks its withdrawal from Lebanon is equivalent to peace with Syria
Col. Bashar al-Assad has stated that Israel is committing a mistake if it thinks its unilateral withdrawal from Lebanon is equivalent to peace with Syria. Although he welcomed Israel's intention to withdraw from south Lebanon, he warned Israel that its withdrawal would not hide the many problems which are still pending in the peace process, especially the Syrian demand that Israel has to return back the whole of the Syrian Golan.
In an interview reported on 4/27/200 with the Wall Street Journal ( Interactive Edition) , the first interview by the Western mass media with him, al-Assad said, "Syria supports a withdrawal, but within the framework of a comprehensive peace," adding that "in the absence of a treaty it will inflict problems that might provoke tensions and problems in the future."
The Wall Street Journal added that during the interview he stressed that Damascus cannot control the Hizbullah Party because this is not "our business, rather the work of the Lebanese government." He asked, "Will Israel guarantee it will not shell villages and homes?"
Col. Al-Assad refused all claims that Syria backs Hizbullah, saying, the operations against Israel are "a reality imposed on us" by the occupation.
The Wall Street Journal reported him as saying it is wrong to link the Israeli withdrawal from Lebanon to the pullout of the Syrian forces. "We entered Lebanon during the civil war there ... to achieve stability before Israel went in to occupy it." A Syrian pullout should be in response to a request from the Lebanese government, he added.
Concerning internal issues, especially economic reforms, the Wall Street Journal remarked that Bashar had made certain reservations concerning the change as he said: "We have to look for laws that are better for investors and improve our business environment.. But you can't separate economic development from social issues. Discussion and dialogue are needed to find the right direction."
