Tomorrow the decision of the Arab League on the suspension of the membership of Syria in the organization should be fulfilled. The reason is the violation of the Damascus principles of the Arab plan on settlement the situation in the country. Syria is one of founders of the Arab League, and now it cannot participate in sessions of this pan-Arab organization until it fulfills demands of the Arab initiative. The Russian ministry for foreign affairs has already disagreed with the decision. “Now those, who made the decision, have no opportunity to change the situation for more transparent space,” Sergey Lavrov said. According to him, Syria began taking contra-steps. For example, its sportsmen will ignore the Arab Games in Qatar next year as a protest against the Arab League’s decision, which Damascus called “a black spot in the history of the organization.”
A day before the Arab League made the fateful decision the Extraordinary and Plenipotentiary Ambassador of the Syrian Arab Republic, Rijad Muhammed Haddad, told journalists about changes, which are taking place in the country, expressed his fears on information war against Syria, armament illegal traffic and activity of militants, who are financed from abroad.
Haddad gave high appraisal to “the fair position” of Russia, which protects Syria from foreign intervention. He said that the position prevents usage of the Security Council of the UN for implementation of anti-Syrian acts.
The ambassador noted that the situation in Syria differs from the situation in other countries. Syria sees the process of reforms, which is carried out in a rapid tempo. The law on parties is operating. In February 2012 the parliamentary elections will take place. The law on the mass media was adopted. The commission on reconsideration of the constitution was established. The reforms in Syria are being implemented according to the schedule. The laws, which are aimed at democracy and pluralism in Syria, have been developed concerning experience of other countries.
The main problem of the current Syria is armed people, militants, Haddad said. He stated that these militant groups have nothing in common with the program of reforms in the country. Those, who really want changes in Syria, are waiting for reforms’ implementation.
“However, today the terrorist groups, which are financed from abroad and get armament from abroad, continue to attack the police officers and citizens in the streets. We have to protect our people from them,” Haddad noted. At the same time he stressed that the mass media spreads slander and false propaganda.
As for origin of the terrorist groups, some of them came from Iraq and even Europe. The situation worsened, and the ministry commission of the Arab League was sent to Syria. It met the government and suggested a series of steps, which was called the Arab initiative. It contains several items, for example: stop the violence, withdrawing of army from the streets, establishing dialogue with the opposition. Syria agreed to these steps. Russia supported Syria in fulfilling these plans. “The opposition refused from these proposals and continued shooting at the police officers and citizens,” the ambassador added. “And the mass media continues information screening of these terrorist groups.”
Another problem is armament illegal traffic. Every day great amount of weapon is illegally imported to the country. The League of Arab States raised the question on guarantees, which will enable prevention of illegal traffic of armament from other countries.
Haddad is disappointed by statements of the foreign ministry of France that the Arab initiative is a dead-born initiative. He thinks that the USA and the EU try to use the LAS as an instrument of promoting their interests in the Security Council. “If they manage to do it, they will do the same thing they’ve done with Libya, or launch troops like in Iraq and Afghanistan,” the ambassador said.
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