Syrian defense minister voices support to Iraqi, Palestinian issues

Syria's Defense Minister Mustafa Tlass on Tuesday condemned Israel for its practices in the occupied Arab lands and escalation of acts of repression and terrorism against innocent Palestinians.

Addressing new graduates at the Military Academy during a ceremony in his capacity as representative of President Bashar al-Assad, the General Commander of the Army and Armed Forces, Lt. Gen. Tlass said Israeli arrogance and intransigence, as well as its violations of international laws have increased. Israeli rulers have blocked the way to any regional or international initiatives that carry the seeds of a final solution to the Arab-Israeli conflict, he emphasized.

On Iraq the defense minister said Syria has a duty in shouldering responsibility through "giving hand to the brotherly Iraqi people in restoring independence and sovereignty and ending the occupation of their lands, in addition to upholding the UN to enable it to perform its duty in facing crises."

Tlass also reviewed the current situation of the Arab-Israeli conflict which "represents a dangerous turning point for the future of the region and the world, particularly after the occupation of Iraq." He added that Iraq's occupiers "have sought to impose their hegemony on the peoples of the powerless countries, exploiting the mock-up of terrorism as a pretext to move their military force to this or that region of the world."