INTERNATIONAL COOPERATION

“The relations between Syria and Romania are historic with more than 5 decades off history. These relations have ever been characterized with close and deep friendship, as well as with reciprocal respect. The visit of President Basescu to Syria today comes within the frame of renewal of the old relations pushing them forward, especially during the particular conditions in which the world in general and the Middle East in particular witness at the political and economic levels and their consequences. Such new conditions, which influence the entire world with no exception, deem necessary the more of consultations and the more of cooperation in different fields, especially as far as the political and economic ones.”

 From His Excellency joint press conference with President Basescu of Romania (October 20, 2008)

 “We have discussed bilateral relations between both countries- Syria and Romania- and what are the needed for agreements as to get signed so that the door would be opened before the more of cooperation between Syria and Romania. It was agreed that the Syrian-Romanian Joint Committee would as soon as possible meet for the discussion of the details of these agreements and consequent measures for this cooperation,”

 From His Excellency joint press conference with President Basescu of Romania (October 20, 2008)

“First of all, relations between Turkey and Iran are developing in a permanent and positive way. The role of the two states is not based on a confessional or religious position, but on the political and geographical position of the state. As for asking why relations between Syria and Turkey have developed, the reply is clear. The two states became aware that their situation had deteriorated when they served as fuel for international conflicts in the Middle East. When we decided to be masters of our own decisions in order to better serve and defend our common interests, everything changed. From another standpoint, I should point out the credibility of the Turkish state and government. All its institutions generally have acted in a friendly manner and at no time promised one thing and done the opposite. Syria for its part takes the same course of action towards them. The credibility of the Turkish president and prime minister has led to this neighborly and friendly relationship.”

 From His Excellency Monday Morning Interview, (September 30, 2008)

“Regarding our relations with Iran, it is an important country, but our relations with the Islamic Republic of Iran in no way signify that we conduct our relations with it at the expense of Arab states. We have not exchanged Arab states for Iran, and we don’t consider it in this light. Our relations with Turkey are very strong, and this helps stability in the region, not the reverse. What is the benefit for Arab states of a negative relationship with Turkey over eight decades? We have all lost out. When relations are better there is gain for everybody. The same applies to Iran. We should establish excellent relations with all neighboring countries. We Arabs do not dialogue much. Relations can be good at the level of the summit, but not on other levels. We in Syria have no barriers in our relations with Arab states. We are open to all initiatives. I was in touch with President Hosni Mubarak some weeks ago to present my condolences following the landslide accident in which there were victims. Let’s be frank: relations, which are supposed to be good, do not now exist with Egypt as they should. We have no problems with them.”

 From His Excellency Monday Morning Interview, (September 30, 2008)

 “In regard to Syria’s position towards Russia, I recall that Russia has always stood beside us. It was therefore natural that we should stand beside it in the first crisis confronting it. Most of the countries allied to the United States have said that this war was, directly or indirectly, provoked by America. Can one imagine that Georgia would unleash a war against Russia of its own accord? This is something that requires no analysis. That is why we opposed this war, and it was natural that we should be against the side which started it. This corresponds to our principles. In regard to our relations with Russia, they were warm and they have become more so. As for weapons, they are the object of contracts concluded between us and Russia. It is natural that during our visit, we should have raised military questions and the means of reactivating cooperation between us, especially since Russia has become independent since the accession of President Putin to power. Russia continues on the same path, and it will reinforce its historic relationships with its old allies.”

 From His Excellency Monday Morning Interview, (September 30, 2008)

 “The Syrian Iranian relations are very strong and solid. The strategic relations binding Syria and Iran have not been created through the agreement following the Iranian Revolution between President Hafez Al-Assad- may his soul rest in peace- and Imam Khomeini; these relations have been established as a result for objective things and in accumulations for these relations leading to the establishment of the standing strategic relation between both countries. The Revolution in Iran announced at the outset its stand by the Palestinian Cause, contrary to the Iranian previous stance, which had strong relations with Israel; a stance perhaps closer to the Israelis more than to the Arabs, the natural neighbors for Iran,”

From His Excellency Interview given to the Iranian TV  (September 17, 2008)

“Iran has always supported the Palestinian Cause, Arab Right, and the Syrian Rights; has stood against the Israeli aggressions against the Palestinians, Lebanese and against the Syrians,”

From His Excellency Interview given to the Iranian TV  (September 17, 2008)

“We do not belong to those states which build temporary, transitional or circumstantial relations. We do have our principles, and interests; thus the factors binding Syria and Iran are increased and more solid day by day,”

From His Excellency Interview given to the Iranian TV  (September 17, 2008)

“We have no interest in a cold war. Our interest is the presence of an international balance; we have suffered the consequences of a one-poled presence, represented by the USA; Russia now suffers and even Western Europe, an ally of the USA, has suffered the presence of this one-pole, and has lost in many posts of the world. The entire world, or the most of the world, has the interest of having two poles,”

From His Excellency Interview given to the Iranian TV  (September 17, 2008)

 “We have talked of the issue of the Iranian nuclear topic; our viewpoint has ever been the solution through peaceful means,”

 From His Excellency Statements at the Quartet Damascus Summit  (September 4, 2008)

“We do not want another international conflict field. We do support  President Sarkozy’s initiative through his direct relation with President Medvedev of Russia, hoping that it would lead to the achievement of tranquility and to restoration of peace to the Caucasus region. We also support the initiative of Turkey pertaining to the dialogue in the Caucasus,”

 From His Excellency Statements at the Quartet Damascus Summit  (September 4, 2008)

“The issue of Darfur was among the important points; there has been a desire by all of us as to witness a solution for this problem soon,”

 From His Excellency Statements at the Quartet Damascus Summit  (September 4, 2008)

 “We, in Syria, are very keen on the historic and strategic relations between Syria and Russia- Former Soviet Union- , which have always worked for security, and peace in the world,”

 From His Excellency Statements in Russia  (August 20-21, 2008)

“Iran has the right to possess nuclear technology for peaceful purpose; and Iran has never opted out from the International accords in this regard. We have never witnessed any Iranian military activity to this effect”

From His Excellency Statements in France  (July12-14, 2008)

“Now we are talking about a different India. We are talking about the rise of India. With the rise of India and China we have a different Asia and a different world. We have, let us say, more hopes than we had in the past. Maybe the policies of India at that time were different as part of the non-aligned movement. At that time we used to look at India as a closer country, but now we see it a big country, an important country; so we have different hopes but in the same way. So, the question is what role can India play in the world, especially regarding our issues, like the peace issue, the Iraq and Palestine issues and all these problems. How we can cooperate on them. So, this is about politics. India and China should play a role with other countries in making a balance that we have missed for more than 18 years now. It is almost 20 years, because this happened in the late 1980s, even before the dissolution of the Soviet Union.”

From His Excellency Indian Daily, the Hindu Interview (June 12^th, 2008)

“Yes, because it has two aspects: the first aspect if you are interested, you can play a direct role between the two sides, Syria and Israel, and the Palestinians and Israel. That will make the region more stable, and that will affect India itself in the long run and the world at large, especially Asia. Second, it's about the role that you can play through your weight or your position as India, a big country, in making dialogue with other powers of the world, that is the United States then Europe, your region. How can you help the Middle East become more stable; because you are going to be affected by our problems anyway, and you are already affected I think. What is happening in Indonesia cannot be separated from what is happening in Palestine, for example, especially in the Muslim world. So that is how we see the Indian role from the political point of view. “

From His Excellency Indian Daily, the Hindu Interview (June 12^th, 2008)

“Everybody knows about the huge development that you have in India, especially in the IT field. I am interested in this because I was head of the Syrian Computer Society which is a Syrian NGO before I became President. And I think that developing countries cannot achieve much in the field of hardware, but they can achieve a lot in software because it is about the brains and we have the brains. We just need to provide the appropriate environment to develop, and this is where India can help. Third, it is about bilateral relations, about investment, how we can attract Indian investment based on the stability in Syria despite the different circumstances based on the geo-political position and the geographical position on the Mediterranean and among the Arab countries. So this is what we hope from the visit. Mainly, according to our circumstances, the reason is political.”

From His Excellency Indian Daily, the Hindu Interview (June 12^th, 2008)

"Iran is a regional neighbor, and if we disagree with it, we should start a dialogue. What Syria is doing is helping this dialogue,"

From His Excellency Statements during His UAE Visit (June 3^rd, 2008)

“Iran now is a big and important State, whether we like it or not. Iran is a State present in the region and not a newly-born one; it has a civilization, close to the Arab civilization as far as  depth in this region; it has periods of conflicts and accord; but at the same time the Iranians have been standing with us in the Islamic State and etc. They are part of this texture. It is impossible to have a country like Iran as an enemy with which our interests differ and to have Israel as not the enemy. It is impossible to have Iran as the problem in Iraq , while the United States is the solution in Iraq.”

From His Excellency Interview given to the Qatari ‘Al-Wtan’ Daily  (April 27^th 2008)

“All of the mentioned deem it necessary for us  as to build the best of relations with neighbouring countries with which we have historic links and joint interests as to realize stability in our region, find  solutions for standing problems, reiterating the necessity for sorting out whatever emerging problems among us through direct dialogue and continued communication, which guarantee to eliminate the causes of differences and end concern regarding intentions. “

 From His Excellency Opening  Speech of  20th Arab Summit  (March29th 2008)

“The distinguished standing relations of friendship and cooperation between Syria and Turkey stem from a joint will and basic foundations of credibility and transparency on the basis of reciprocal respect , joint interests bolstered by the cooperation agreements covering all fields.”

From H. E. Press Statements in Turkey  ( October 17, 2007)

"The US may take a fool action, if we were to think logically. Such an action is to be harmful for the region and the world. We have to remain ever alert for any reckless action by the US, or by Israel against Iran , Syria, Lebanon, or against any other state….The problem for the world will be far more bigger than that of the Iraqi invasion considering the strategic position of Iran and its power. The situation would be very difficult for the US, its consequences would cover all the world in general. If the war were to begin, how is it to conclude; nobody knows! But we will be the first to pay the price: the Arab countries, especially the Arab Gulf region which is to pay a very high price for such an action…. We are all targeted, no country in the Arab World is not to be the price for the explosion to happen."

From H. E. ’s Al Shirouq Daily Interview  ( October 11, 2007

“The far-sighted vision of the Syrian-Iranian policy have proved more than ever its correctness. The climate of satisfaction, optimism, and confidence is the common denominator characterizing all of the discussed issues,  imposed by the persistent conspiracies against the Middle East,”

 From H. E. Statements in a joint press conference with the visiting  Iranian counterpart, (July, 19, 2007)

“As for Iran , it is a country that has existed in the region from early history , but the Arabs who are absent from the political arena whether in the decision making or in shaping the future of the region.”

“Syria is a secular country and has no problem in cooperating with Iran and the Iranians have no problem in dealing with a pan-Arab state. If one looks to what is happening in Iraq , he will see that the western powers which are propagating secularism , are working to consolidate the non-religious  radical current in the Arab world.”

“If Iran is feared because of her nuclear project, Iran says that it wants the nuclear project for peaceful means , a right guaranteed by international law. There is nothing to fear from Iran.”

“We might wonder what motivates some officials in these countries to send messages and make statements concerning an ill prisoner.  They are so concerned for the medical condition of this prisoner.  What nobility!  What humanity!  What greatness!  We might ask as well, where are these same officials concerning the massacres perpetrated in Lebanon?  All those women, children and elderly people, and all this destruction and we have not heard anything from them, no messages, no protests, with the exception of some timid statements.  I say that this has struck at the heart of their credibility.  This means that there are other objectives for these messages.  We know these objectives, but things have now become very clear.  We might also ask that French official with burning enthusiasm, particularly concerning Syria, is he going to call for an international investigation committee to investigate the massacre of Qana, not to mention the other massacres, as he called for an investigation into the assassination of prime minister Hariri?  Is the reason here that in the first case the suspect was Syria, and this is sufficient motive and justification, and in the second the suspect is Israel, and nothing should be done.  Or is it that the children of Qana and other poor people do not deserve this official’s attention?”

"As usual, the only outlet for them is the Security Council which the USA has transformed from a council to preserve security into one that destroys it by issuing a resolution that responds to the demands of Israel and saves it from its predicament at the expense of Lebanon, paving the way for further division and instability.  If we go back to the Security Council resolutions issued in the past two years, i.e. resolutions 1559, 1860 and 1701, and those concerning Darfur for instance, among other resolutions, we would completely comprehend where the Security Council is heading to. It is heading towards interfering in the domestic affairs of member countries and creating turbulence. Some people say the Security Council is impotent, and this is not true. The Security Council was impotent when there was an international balance. Had the Security Council been impotent at present, the United States would not have relied on it to harm different places around the world. The truth is that the rest of the world, or perhaps most of it, has become impotent before the Security Council. We used to say “the international community”. The international community is a group of countries, some of which are members of the Security Council, and some are their allies outside the Security Council. They fight us with or without the Security Council resolutions, which means they will fight us anyway. Yet the Security Council resolutions give them more freedom to move in this fight. On the other hand, our weakness lies in the fact that when we speak of the Security Council -some people in the Arab World and in the world at large say this is a Security Council resolution, or this is what the Security Council wants- as if it were a council with a divine power, or as if its resolutions were sacred or revealed by God, and indeed this is dangerous.  “

“We all follow up the current events…all of us recognize these events and the surrounding circumstances as well as their direct and indirect consequences are not the product of today but rather date back to past decades…but they have intensified in recent years…where the Arab people paid a dear price because of serious Western political projects which are strange to this region…They paid the debts of others from their own blood and their stability without having any interest or role in what is going on. And while we thought that the political changes in the 1990’s would lead to finding reasonable solutions to the chronic problems in our region as promised by the New World Order and its dreams, we found out that these problems had become more complicated and more confused…all pledges were only illusions or daydreams…We call this the New World Disorder…it’s only a name but the real content is the new world disorder because there is no order at all. At the same time new problems, not less dangerous than those previous, had emerged…they had rather been accumulated with them or resulted from them…new spots of tension, not less than the previous in terms of heat and inflammability, had came to light and their consequences started to spread everywhere, causing problems to our Arab people…”

“Of course the international community is silent in such cases…when it comes to a simple statement that disturbs Israel a little bit …here the international community turns into an active and influential society with a tongue to speak and some times this tongue become fierce …but when it comes to a statement by an Israeli rabbi accusing the Arabs of being serpents that must be eliminated … or when US Congress says that there is an Arab country which must be pond with a nuclear weapon to eliminate …then this society keeps silent.”

“They want to turn the peoples and the world into a set of computers in which they insert information and operation systems and program them in their own way to use as they like whenever they want for their own interests. And when we agree on this, then we are described as nationalist, wise, realistic and democrats, otherwise, we are either terrorist or terrorism sponsors… and this terrorism has names that change with the circumstances and interests… we call this real fashion. We used to hear for decades about Palestinian terrorism then they began to talk about Lebanese terrorism during the civil war in Lebanon…today they are talking about Islamic terrorism…don’t be astonished if they put soon a new idiom called sovereign terrorism which is now actually being applied to countries which seek to establish its sovereignty.”

“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.”

“I say that there was a big problem at one point in the world particularly between East and West. The West has devoted all the media and all technological means in order to define the East but it didn’t use all these resources in order to get to know the East as it is. And so the East knew a lot about the West but the opposite is not true. The first message I carry with me is to try and introduce the East to the West and to introduce Arab issues as they really are and not just to Italy because Italy is a close country that probably knows the East better than any other European country. But it is an important entrance to Europe also. Without this accurate understanding of the West to the East, we can’t really speak about a healthy role that Europe can play. This takes us to the second part of the question: Can Europe with the US play the role? I think they can, certainly they can. But this is subject first to the desire of these parties and to their ability of those entrusted with this role, and second it is also dependent on their accurate knowledge of the situation. And third, it is subject to the desire of the conflicting parties in this role and their trust in the cosponsors. I can say in the name of all the Arab parties, that there is a trust in the European Union, they trust the European Union. And it is clear for everyone that Israel rejects the European role. The reason is that the European stand is an objective one, the fact that Israel doesn't like. What is clear until now is that the United States doesn't desire Europe to play a role that is expressive of a European independent stand and of a European identity. Until now the role that had been given to Europe by the United States is to market American ideas, but has not yet been allowed to play a role of its own making. But even the American Administration doesn't have a clear vision of how to conduct this peace process. Thereof I can’t see that the circumstances are prepared for this role to be played unless Europe wants to play this role in an independent fashion, and this would have its own prerequisites.”