DIALOGUE

"The dialogue course wasn't adopted in a many Western countries who were adopting the isolation policy as well as the intimidation strategy. Some of them is even adopting a war policy," ; "It's just lately that new tendencies started to emerge,"

 From His Excellency Interview given to Al-MANAR TV   (September 4, 2008)

 "It is not possible to say that we are in ideal circumstances for dialogue between states but we are attempting to found the bases of such dialogue."

 From His Excellency Interview given to Al-MANAR TV   (September 4, 2008)

“We receive some news that more than a foreigner official saying that he/she would visit Syria; but asking about what to be offered in return for his/her coming!  That is he/she should be given  gains as to return the hero who was able to take the gains from Syria! To them we say that you come for dialogue, we have nothing to give save the dialogue, because we do not have awards to give for any body.”

 From HE’s Second  Presidential Term Inauguration Speech , ( July 17, 2007)

"We are with dialogue which respects our will and with relations which respect our sovereignty, we are with dialogue without preconditions... without abandoning rights and dignity… it is the dialogue away of dictations."

From HE’s 2007 Parliament Speech, ( May 15, 2007)

“The issue of isolating Syria has failed. The real thing is that the European isolation was under French- American pressure, the Europeans are now talking frankly that they will not accept this situation, they are enthusiastic for dialogue.”

From HE’s Interview with Dubai TV, (August 24, 2006)

"We always call them for dialogue, apart from the form of invitation whether in a letter or through a third party or press statements…we in most of our political discourse talk about necessity of dialogue and specifically with America. This is the important question: until now it seems unable to do so. For example, an American delegation came to us last week and asked that the meeting be kept away from the press…we agreed and the meeting took two hours…they said the administration listen to their opinions...maybe half of the delegation are from the administration…God knows…but the delegation comes under different names."

From HE’s Interview with Al Hayat Newspaper, (June 26, 2006)

“As far as we are concerned, we have a principle in dealing with problems. This principle is that any problem can be solved through dialogue. There is no other alternative. Our doors are always open, to all countries without exception, for dialogue on different issues. But this takes into account Syria’s interests. No dialogue can be conducted at the expense of our interests or at the interests of our causes and our conceptions. There is a dialogue at the bottom line, which we are trying to develop. On the other hand, we have wide reaching relations with other friendly countries in the world which know and understand our causes and know that Syria is right. We have never violated international law, we are an element of stability in the region. We have never tried to destabilize our region. These countries have to help change this unnatural situation. This is what we have been doing so far.”

From HE’s Interview with Russian TV, (December 12, 2005)

“Which countries are trying to impose sanctions? What will they achieve? Will they win? They won’t. They will lose. The Middle East is at the heart of the world and Syria is at the heart of the Middle East, and if the situation in Syria and Iraq is not good that will cause problems in the whole region, and the whole world will pay the price. Another question: what will they achieve? They will not, as I said at the beginning of the interview, be able to deal with the question of terrorism. Terrorism will spread. And they will not be able to achieve peace. This will also increase terrorism. There will be more poverty, and this will increase terrorism. Consequently, the whole world, together with Syria and the Middle East will pay the price. I think when we pose this question we will arrive at the logical answer: that the sanctions will not achieve anything and that the only solution is through political work and dialogue. There is no other option. It has been proven that war does not achieve positive results even when it is launched by a strong super power."

From HE’s Interview with Russian TV, (December 12, 2005)

“Syria considers that it has much to give within the framework of a vision of far reaching civilization the living features of which are apparent in every part of its rich land. When I visited your beautiful country two years ago, I carried with me many thoughts and hopes to the good of our two countries, our region and the world at large. The idea which was the closest to myself among all other ideas which I carried with me in visits to various states or in my meetings with personalities or foreign delegations, is the idea of dialogue. In fact, it was always my belief that dialogue is a continuous constructive process; a process that if we sever at any stage, we will have then to restart it from the beginning.”

From HE’s Speech Welcoming the Spanish King  , ( October 21, 2003)

 “My visit to Spain upon the invitation of your Majesty to inaugurate the exhibition of "The Glitter of Umayyads in Cordova" indeed was "expressive" gesture by your majesty aiming at pursuing the fruitful dialogue which was started by our ancestors more than 1000 years ago at the time when their bloods, ethnicities and cultures mixed together to form a wonderful civilization which brought about sublime principles that remain alive in our life. In my meetings with Spanish officials during that visit and in reviewing the good popular reactions to that visit, I became certain that this dialogue never was severed and that successive generations achieved big steps in this field despite the difficult circumstances which faced this relationship in different historic periods. Those difficult circumstances are not an abnormal state in the logic of relations between human beings. However, the ground which was established has restored the glitter of this relationship, a glitter which we perceive in the big convergence of emotions, characters and ideas.”

From HE’s Speech Welcoming the Spanish King  , ( October 21, 2003)

 “At the time when we together seek to reinforce dialogue between two cultures that many aspects of convergence bring them together, we notice that some of those who are essentially far away from the cultures of other peoples in this world, we are distancing themselves more and more from this dialogue, thus making the mere start of this dialogue even difficult. Few years ago hope was great in establishing more balanced relations between the peoples of the world, in respecting cultures of each other and in adherence of all of us to maintain, protect and develop the United Nations and its organs for the purpose of serving humanity, while we today notice as if the space of hope is narrowing and light is becoming dimmer.”

From HE’s Speech Welcoming the Spanish King  , ( October 21, 2003)

 

“Of course the problem lies in the lack of communication, not communication in the technological meaning, but in the human meaning. That is what we need; we need to have more dialogue, more communication. I do not think we are going to start this communication now between the Syrians and the Italians because we have a history of two thousand years, a common history. You know that Syria gave the Roman Empire eight Popes and five emperors. When the Pope came to Damascus last May, I told him we were watching your pilgrimage.”

From HE’s Interview with the Italian Corriere Della Sera, (February 14, 2002)

“I am assuring you that Syria, the cradle of ancient civilizations and the country of steadfastness, which strives for peace, justice, and prosperity to prevail in our world, supports your activities in this world festival, and that the people of Syria which you all success in your works. Undoubtedly, your festival is an opportunity for intimate acquaintances among the Youths and Students, for exchanging their experience and for interaction in their thoughts.”

From HE’s Message to the 15th World Festival of Youths and Students, (August 8, 2001)