PRESIDENT BASHAR, THE HOPE FOR THE SYRIANS
President-elect Bashar Assad inaugurated
his entry official political career in a lengthy meeting with the UN Secretary
General Kofi Annan to stress the Syrian full support of the Lebanese conditions
of Israel’s total pullout from south Lebanon.
Lt. Gen. Bashar Assad, who would shortly assume Presidency due to the Syrian
people’s support for this step, underlined during his first meeting with an
international figure ‘’Syria’s willingness to cooperate with the UN to achieve
the just and comprehensive peace in the Middle East,’’ a Presidential spokesman
said.
‘’ Syria will continue to cooperate with the UN to accomplish the just and
comprehensive peace as well as Damascus emphasizes backing for Lebanon’s fair
demands related to fulfillment of the complete Israeli withdrawal from the
Lebanese lands’’ the spokesman quoted Bashar Assad as saying.
Lt. Gen. Bashar Assad / word
Damascus, 20/6/2000
President elect- Dr. Bashar Assad, encouraged by the sincere affection of the
Syrian people demonstrated during the funeral of the late President Hafez Assad
expressed hop late Tuesday Syria would manage to confront all future challenges
and difficulties. ‘’ Comrades, There are solemn missions waiting and grand
challenges facing and we will all, God willing, be as responsible as this
historic responsibility be,’’ he said. ‘’ We shall confront challenges and will
go together through your trust, love and support for the sake of the
accomplishing these missions and surpassing those challenges ,’’ Dr. Bashar told
the 9th Congress of the Baath Party in his first ever address since his public
entry into to the political life after the death of his father. Bashar, who was
unanimously named by the conferees after 4-day meetings as Secretary General of
the Baath Party , suggested Arab unity had became a crucial demand and that the
Arab world should look forward to achieving unification , even stages by stages
and it the unity has not been achieved so far, it remains a legitimate goal.
These tasks are very easy because the great leader, Hafez Assad has prepared for
us a firm ground, solid basis and a great heritage of values and principles
which he defended and adhered to till he parted with us and moved to the after
life. Added to this the infrastructure and the great achievements in all fields
and throughout the country that will enable us to launch our work strongly and
confidently towards a future we all desire. Yet, these tasks are difficult
because the approach of the great leader, Hafez Assad, was a very special and
unique approach and therefore it is not easy to emulate it especially as we
remember that we are required not just to maintain it but to develop it as well.
This undoubtedly requires great efforts and work at all levels with the aim of
building on the basis of what has been achieved in the glorious period of Assad
to continue with what has been achieved and to multiply the steps determined to
overcome the difficulties and cope with the challenges without giving up our
national principles ordained in our hearts and minds. In all this we have to
imitate his wisdom by transforming sorrow to a creative energy and the painful
event to continuous work and achievement.
Lt. Gen. Bashar is President of Syria
Damascus, 11/7/2000
Speaker of the Peoples’ Assembly Abdul Qader Qaddoura on Tuesday announced Lt.
Gen. Bashar al-Assad President of the Syrian Arab Republic for a seven years
term. The declaration came during the extraordinary session held by the
parliament and transmitted via TV.’’ I declare Lt. Gen. Bashar al-Assad as
President of the Syrian Arab Republic for seven years term,’’ Qaddoura said. He
noted the new President would take oath on Monday July 17 at eleven AM local
time. The Syrian constitution termed the President would start ruling the moment
he sworn in . It is a norm the new president would specify main lines of his
policy in an address to the people.
Syrian Parliament Okays Lt. Gen. Bashar Assad's Nomination
Damascus 27-6/2000
Syrian Parliament unanimously okayed Tuesday the Baa'th Arab Socialist Party
Regional Command Nomination of Lt.Gen. Bashar Hafez Al-Assad for the post of
Syrian Presidency.
Following a two-day session of debate, the Parliament set July10,2000 as a date
for popular referendum as to vote Dr. Bashar Hafez Al-Assad to be Syria's
incoming President to lead the March of Syria's modernization and building
initiated by his Late Father, President Hafez Assad.
The Parliament acceptance of Lt.Gen. Bashar's nomination for a seven-year
Presidential Term crowned a stormy parliamentarian session in which speakers,
representing Syria's political parties and sections pledged full support and
loyalty to the persistence of the Late President's march through the son, 'the
hope' for Syria's immunity, dignity and steadfastness. Thousands of Syrians have
been on vigil since yesterday's parliamentarian debate, some of them nearby the
Parliament Headquarters in Damascus, chanting pro-Bashar slogans pledging to
defend Syria's unanimously-favored candidate with their blood and their soul.
The Late President is largely viewed as the leader who was able, through his 30
years of presidency, to salvage Syria from a coup-plagued country into an oasis
for stability, modernization and security.
Lt. Gen. Bashar's nomination for the presidency came to meet the aspiration of
the millions of Syrians who see in His Excellency an extension for his Father's
legacy of progress and prosperity. Dr. Bashar, an eye doctor, is reputed for his
unmatchable obsession with Information Technology, Modernization, and
enhancement. His Excellency has led a campaign, at the directives of his Late
Father, as to uproot corruption.
President Assad Reiterates Syria's Desire for Peace
Damascus 31-10-2000
His Excellency President Bashar Assad underlined that Syria has been the
pioneering in initiating Mideast Peace Process in the region.
"Syria is serious in working for the realization of peace but the aim of
returning to peace talks should be the realization of the just and comprehensive
peace in the region, which involves the commitment of all parties to this,''
Assad said in his yesterday's talks with the visiting German Chancellor, Gerhard
Schroeder.
" As to realize the aspired for just and comprehensive peace, an end for
occupation and aggression should be put, UNSC related resolutions implemented,
prisoners released, and Palestinian Refugees rights to return guaranteed,''
Assad underlined.
President Assad blasted the anti-peace Israeli policy in violation of all norms,
conventions, legitimacy massacring children, women and the elderly. "What Israel
has been committing in the occupied territories and Jerusalem once more proved
that Israel doesn't want peace. Once an opportunity for peace advance exists,
Israel aborts it in its cradle with a provocation and with an aggression,''
Assad declared. President Assad blasted the double standard policy pursued by
the USA in tackling Mideast issues. President Assad Reiterated Cling to Just and
Comprehensive Peace
Amman 27-3-2001
"We have never been aggressors against Israel; We, however, have ever been
attacked by Israel,'' President Bashar Assad declared . "The Israelis are afraid
of the past with its historical perspective hence they have no history where
they have never exist in this region,'' His Excellency added in his historic
address to Arab Summit. President Assad noted that the Israelis very well know
that they '' don't own this land, which is possessed by Arabs''. The President
ridiculed the Israeli claims for security asserting that '' the person on whom
aggression falls should seek security. We have to make sure that Israel would
never launch an aggression against us, bombard an institution in Iraq, or
assassinate an official in Tunisia or in Malta,'' in reference to the Israeli
many committed crimes against Arabs. "There would never be a peace without the
retaining of the land in full and without the security of each Arab citizen,''
the President underlined. His Excellency belittled the Israeli threats against
Syria, Lebanon or against other Arab countries saying that the Israelis ''
through their military solutions move from a failure to another'' ,'' The
Israelis, furthermore, didn't forget their defeat in Lebanon at the hands of the
Lebanese Resistance in less than a year,'' HE called for a closer look at the
Israeli public opinion '' The Israelis killed Rabin, when they suspected that he
would offer something for peace, a mere suspense made them kill him though he
was the hero in breaking the Palestinians' bones during the first Intifada,''
"As Arabs we consider all the Israelis right-wingers,'' HE said recalling ''
Peres's present to the Israeli p[public opinion through Qana Massacre' '' Barak
presented more than 400 Palestinian martyrs,'' "We are never concerned with
names, Sharon, internationally renowned as the man of massacres, killing and
hatred against Arabs, hates every Arab-related thing, Sharon was elected by the
Israeli street itself.''
''The reality of the Israeli public opinion should be probed; Israel is a racial
society and a more racist one than the Nazism,'' President Assad called on Arabs
'' as not to fall in the trap of linking our stances and policies on our causes
to those on persons in Israel or among the Israeli street,'' "Every single
Israeli is responsible for each span of the occupied Arab territories and for
every Arab to be killed,'' President Assad added. His Excellency blasted the
Israeli violations of International Legitimacy resolutions and of people's
rights and lands.
"The Palestinian Intifada is ongoing and with enthusiasm amid an increasing
national spirit,'' calling for an Arab support for the Intifada through ''
Direct financial aids'', '' an international campaign to speak of the Intifada
as the legitimate resistance,'', and through ' Arab-Arab coordination,''. HE
reiterated Syria's rejection of any unjust, deformed and partial peace which ''
gave her the more of power factors and chips,'' HE noted to the failure of ten
years of pressures on Syria as to accept a deformed peace in '' the failing ten
years of the peace process,'' President Assad stressed the need to learn
constructive lessons from the past, saying Syria extends its hands to the
Palestinian brethren to best serve the Palestinian cause and the Syrian logic
has one objective _ the return of the Arab rights undivided and undiminished. "
We stand by Palestinians to help restore Jerusalem, to pull Israeli occupation
forces out till the 4 June 1967 line, to give Palestinian refugees a chance to
return to their homeland and to establish the Palestinian independent state with
Jerusalem as its capital," he affirmed.
He described the Palestinian uprising as a key source of the current national
renaissance in the Arab street and stressed the significance to safeguard the
uprising because it has a positive impact on all Arabs by uniting Arabs'
sentiments and mind. He affirmed the significance to offer financial assistance
to the uprising to reduce the negative repercussions of the Israeli closure of
Palestinian territories and to initiate an international campaign to explain the
legitimacy of the Palestinian uprising as a form of resistance. " Resistance is
a legitimate right of people under occupation and through this Israeli plans
aiming to picture resistance a form of terrorism are deemed a failure," he
added.
President Assad stressed Syria's willingness to achieve just and comprehensive
peace based on Madrid referendum that can't be realized unless Israel withdraws
from the occupied Palestinian , Lebanese and Syrian territories, in addition to
the return of Jerusalem and refugees and the establishment of the Palestinian
independent state, saying " Israel rejects these demands which means that Israel
does not want to abide by any principles approved by the international community
to achieve peace Israel doesn’t have the willingness to achieve real peace. He
stressed the need to forge a tribunal to try Israeli war criminals and to try
any Israeli who killed any Arab , noting ' some may think this is a dream , yet
can be carried out on the ground.' He affirmed the significance to revive the
United Nations resolution that deems Zionism as a form of racism, noting to the
significance to stop cooperation with Israel by Arab countries. " We represent
the Arab peoples and naturally we should talk about what they feel and think and
we should not wait for others in the west, the east, the south or the north to
define things for us ," President Assad said . " Let's be dare and define the
concepts clearly. If we do not move, the world will not move with us,". " We
should..... be careful not to turn this summit into a wailing wall to sit by and
complain and cry, or turn it into a charity organization asking the world to
help us. We must be daring and take daring decisions."
"We were occupied with analyzing the difference between the right and left in
Israel .... For Arabs there is no right and no left. In Israel, whoever kills
1,000 Arabs is left, and whoever kills 5,000 is right. For us Arabs, all
Israelis are right."
Dr. Bashar Assad declared Winner
Damascus 11/7/2000
Syria witnessed a jubilant announcement of her new President as to follow the
march of her real builder, late President Hafez Assad, who transferred her from
a coups-plagued country into an oasis for freedom, progress and prosperity. The
results of yesterday's held Presidential elections came up to the expectations
of Syrians who have pinned hopes on Assad's Son, Lt. Gen. Bashar. Bashar scored
a slashing victory to be the new Syrian President, an offshoot of the late great
President, where he was voted for by 97,29 percent of Syrians eligible for
voting.
French TV
"We want the Golan, the Syrian land. Syria puts no conditions for this hence the
Golan was but her own right,'' added the president reiterating that this very
right was enshrined, acknowledged and unanimously agreed upon through the
related UN resolutions, Madrid Terms of Reference, by every member of the world
community save the Israeli side."Not a single day passes without the Syrians
talk of and work for peace; this is our aim, this very aim is the hope where all
of us have interest in lasting and genuine peace" the president said asserting
'' I believe, sooner or later, there would be peace and stability,''. in reply
to a question about the president's statements that the racism in Israeli even
exceed Nazism, the president said '' I spoke of the Israeli racism through what
it carries on of killing operations whether during the Intifada or during its
existence.'' "As for my speech before His Holiness, the Pope, I said that the
sufferings of Jesus Christ were similar to those felt by the Palestinians in
Palestine nowadays, the treason against Prophet Mohammad were similar to the
same Israeli treason against the peace process,'' President Assad spoke of the
ongoing process of reform and modernization in Syria citing some hurdles and
obstacles on this way voicing determination as to eliminate all these obstacles.
"We in Syria have to tackle subjective obstacles, often linked to individuals,
and objective ones; we have to tackle first the subjective obstacles, which
would give a push for the process of development,'' the president noted. "We are
in the process of laying down the basics for democracy, the more solid these
basics were, the larger building we would construct,'' asserted His Excellency.
In reply to questions about Syrian troops deployment in Lebanon, President Assad
said '' The redeployment of Syrian troops in Lebanon was linked to technical
considerations estimated by military personnel in both countries and was subject
directly to a design by the political leadership of Syria and Lebanon,''
reiterating that the presence of the Syrian troops in Lebanon was '' definitely
a temporary one''. In reply to another question, President Assad asserted
Syria's support for the Palestinian Cause saying that '' We want the world to
applaud for peace and for the signature of a deal''. His excellency also spoke
of Syria's call upon the international community, European Union, Peace
sponsors, as to play their required role actively for the realization of peace
hoping that his visit to France and talks with its leaders would further boost
the ever good relations between Syria and France.
Le Figaro
The president linked development to peace saying '' It was difficult to have
genuine development in the region as a whole without reaching to peace;
development itself could help the realization of peace. We should work for peace
as to contribute to to and as to push the process of development forward,''. "We
are determined to follow up the process of development in Syria. As for the
factor of time, it depends on existing capabilities of local means of
development and of other means, we use through our friends,'' added the
president You develop things existed by your predecessor'' noting that this
ongoing process in Syria does benefit by the enthusiasm of the youth and by the
wisdom and direction of the old. "There are certain things realized in the
country since coming to the presidency; however, there are other things which
weren't realized as we did wish; at the same time, there are things realized
better than what we expected,'' underlined the president. His Excellency touched
upon all different aspects of the Syrian life asserting '' conditions in Syria
go in a satisfactory form'' noting that several measures would be taken as to
deter the reasons behind crimes commitment speaking of a continued determination
to pursuer the march of the late president, who on different occasions set
prisoners free. The president asserted the temporary nature of the Syrian
presence in Lebanon saying ' The Syrian policy in Lebanon has never been that of
interference, There are some loopholes or certain points to be improved in the
Syrian-Lebanese relations. These loopholes are the responsibility of the Syrians
as well as the Lebanese at the same time.
"The Syrian troops entered Lebanon in 1976 as to end the then civilian strife.
Lebanon is Syria's underbelly geographically, if it weren't strong, it would
damage Syria. Israel still occupies Lebanese territory and still considered a
source of aggression for us as to occupy the more of the land,'' said the
president asserting that the only legitimacy to speak of the nationality of
the Chebba Farms was that of the international law. Damascus, the oldest city
in the world, was the cradle for Christianity, from which Paul the Apostle
started to spread Christianity to the entire world, and in which the Ommayads
established the First Islamic State, stretching from China to Spain.'' President
Assad added
In France ,in a word at a dinner banquet given by his French counterpart,
Jacques Chirac here Monday, President Assad added '' we have to alleviate
humanity to the highest as to guarantee for our children at present and in the
future a secure life free of hatred, and full of amity, cooperation, and
tolerance. "Furthermore, the Israelis replaced the principle of peace through
force with the principle of lad for peace, which means that the culture of peace
hasn't been mature yet. So far, they haven't realized that security would never
be achieved but through peace and that the realization of peace would bring
security.'' the President added asserting that those who have the might without
the right would fail. president Assad reiterated Syria's cling to peace saying
'' Our stance is very clear, we have no Syrian conditions but rather rights
recognized by the international community. Just and comprehensive peace would
ever be our strategic option notwithstanding the change of circumstances,''.
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