The world’s attention is now focused on the situation in the northeast of the Syrian Arab Republic. \u00a0What is your personal assessment of the Russian-Turkish agreement on Syria?<\/p>\n
President Assad:<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0Our assessment is certainly positive, not because we trust Turkey, which hasn’t been honest in meeting all the commitments it made previously, whether in Astana or elsewhere. \u00a0Our assessment is positive becasue there is no doubt that Russia’s involvement has positive aspects, because otherwise we would have been faced with three options.\u00a0 The first was the Turkish plan or agenda, with its Muslim Brotherhood and Ottoman dimensions. \u00a0The second option was the American plan, which is connected with the Turkish one, and was meant for the Turkish incursion to complicate the situation in Syria, and consequently push us away from the solution we all felt we were approaching. \u00a0The third option was the German proposal, i.e. internationalizing the region, and consequently imposing international protection. \u00a0All these plans are ultimately designed by the American leadership. \u00a0Here is the significance of the positive Russian role, which outmaneuvered these plans and neutralized the Kurdish pretext, in order to prepare the ground for Turkey’s withdrawal.<\/p>\n Question 2:<\/strong><\/span> Why is Russia helping Syria, in general?<\/p>\n President Assad:<\/strong><\/span> We cannot answer this question without talking about the Russian role; Russia is a superpower and has international duties and responsibilities. \u00a0These responsibilities serve the world and also, Russia and the Russian people. \u00a0Russia has the choice of either playing the role of a superpower, or withdrawing into itself and becoming a very ordinary state, which would not be good for the world. \u00a0In this context, the military presence in Syria is part of the framework of the global balance of power, because the world today is not governed by legal criteria, but rather by the criteria of power. \u00a0Therefore, the Russian power, from a military perspective, is necessary for balance in the world.<\/p>\n A second aspect is fighting terrorism which has two sides: the first is moral and the second is legal, i.e. international law, because terrorism is supported by well-known states. \u00a0There is a third aspect, which is protecting Russian interests. \u00a0This terrorism has no borders, no political borders. Today, it might be in Syria, but also in the farthest point in Asia. It might also exist in Europe, like the terrorist operations which happened in the past years; and it might also be in Russia, and you recall what happened over ten years ago, when terrorists kidnapped and killed innocent people in schools and theatres. \u00a0You have known and lived through terrorism in the Chechen Republic and other places, and you still do. \u00a0You cannot fight terrorism only where it exists. \u00a0It must be fought all over the world.<\/p>\n Moreover, Russia, through the role it’s playing, has the exact opposite vision of the West, which believes that international law is at odds with its interests; Russia believes that international law serves its own interests and also its joint interests with other countries. \u00a0For all these reasons, Russia is helping Syria.<\/p>\n Question 3:<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0Going back to Turkey, what do you think of Ankara’s intention of repatriating the Syrian refugees to the areas under the control of the Turkish army and the militants which support it in the northeast of the country, taking into account that these refugees might number about 3 million people?<\/p>\n President Assad:<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0Nobody believes that Turkey will repatriate 3 million Syrian refugees to this area; this is a deceptive humanitarian slogan. \u00a0Even if they wanted to, this is not possible because it would create a conflict between the owners of the land, the cities, the villages, the homes, the farms, and the fields on the one hand, and these newcomers, on the other; those who own these places will never renounce their rights in these areas, so this would create an ethnic conflict.<\/p>\n However, the real reason behind Turkey bringing the militants and terrorists who fought and were defeated in Syria, is to move them and their families into this region in order to create a new extremist community in line with the vision sought by the President of the Turkish regime, Erdogan. \u00a0This is the real goal.\u00a0 In either case, both are dangerous and aim at destabilizing Syria. \u00a0Therefore, we certainly reject it.<\/p>\n Question 4:<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0The Sochi agreement contributed to normalizing the situation in northeastern Syria and prepared the ground for the return of the legitimate control of the Syrian government east of Euphrates and some areas in the northeast of the country. \u00a0But the population in those areas has been cut off from the state’s central authority as a result of ISIS’s behavior. \u00a0What are the steps you intend to take in order to engage the local authorities of the Kurdish autonomous administration? \u00a0This is because fighting ISIS was carried out by both the government forces in that area and by the YPG.<\/p>\n President Assad:<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0I want to separate the two cases, because ISIS was created by American will and carried out its activities under an American cover. \u00a0We are convinced, and we have information, that America has used ISIS as a military tool to strike at the Syrian Army and to distract the military forces fighting terrorism, at the forefront of which is Syria.<\/p>\n With regards to the Kurdish forces, we need to correct certain concepts. \u00a0The term is being misused and it is being promoted by the West to give the impression that the forces operating there are Kurdish and that the region is Kurdish. \u00a0First, I would like to make it clear that this region in the north and northeast of Syria is an Arab-majority region; over 70% of its population are Arabs, not the other way around. \u00a0The groups fighting there are a mixture of Kurds and others; the Americans support the Kurdish groups and installed them in a leadership role in order to give the impression that it is a Kurdish region and to create a conflict between the Kurds and the other groups in Syria. \u00a0We remained in contact throughout the war with these groups, despite our knowledge that some were being used and directed by the Americans; they were armed and funded by the Americans and their public statements were dictated by them. \u00a0This does not mean that the Kurds are not patriots; I stress that most of the Kurds are patriots who support their state and the Syrian people like any other segment of Syrian society, but some of these groups are Kurds, some are Arabs, and there might be others working under American command. \u00a0These are the groups we have continued to engage.<\/p>\n Since the return of the Syrian Army to these areas, there is currently a dialogue to convince them that stability is achieved when all of us are committed to the Syrian constitution, because this constitution reflects the will of the people. \u00a0And when the Syrian Arab Army returns, it does so together with other state institutions, which are also an expression of the Syrian constitution and people.<\/p>\n Some progress has been achieved recently after the Turkish invasion in this area. \u00a0Russia plays an important role in this issue based on the same principles that I just mentioned. \u00a0Sometimes we move forward, other times we move backward partly because of the American pressure on the armed groups in Syria not to respond to the Syrian state; this is expected. \u00a0Now we are more optimistic that things are moving in right direction, because after nine years of war, I think that most people understand the importance of embracing the state regardless of political differences, or differences with the government or the ruling party.\u00a0 The state in every part of the world embraces everybody; I believe that we are moving in this direction.<\/p>\n Question 5:<\/strong><\/span> Have I understood you correctly, that the status quo in the northeast of the country is as it is because of outside interference? I mean, the views that there are problems with the Kurds that can never be solved.<\/p>\n President Assad:<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0The problems are with some of the Kurds; I stress once again that most of the Kurds have been in Syria for decades and there are no problems with them. \u00a0There are however, extremist groups, extremist in the political sense, which are making propositions closer to separation. \u00a0Some of these propositions are related to federalism and Kurdish self-rule. \u00a0As I mentioned earlier, this is an Arab region, and if anyone is to talk about federalism, it shall be the Arabs, because they are the majority; this is self-evident.\u00a0 Unlike, the situation in northern Iraq and southeast Turkey, there is no Kurdish majority in this region of Syria.<\/p>\n As to cultural and other rights, I always give the example of the Armenians because they are the latest comers to Syria – about a hundred years ago. \u00a0They have their schools, churches, and full cultural rights. \u00a0Why would we give cultural rights to one segment of Syrian society and not to others?\u00a0 \u00a0Simply, this group has made separatist propositions which we shall never accept, not today, not tomorrow, not as a state, not as a people. \u00a0This is the problem. \u00a0Today, all these American-supported groups claim that the situation has changed after the war – of course the situation has changed. \u00a0It is normal that every war will result in a lot of changes in society.\u00a0 However, war doesn’t mean dividing the country, or moving towards separation; it doesn’t mean throwing out the constitution or weakening the state. \u00a0The war should be an experience from which we come out with a stronger, not weaker homeland. \u00a0We shall never accept any separatist propositions under any circumstances.<\/p>\n Question 6: <\/strong><\/span>\u00a0Mr. President, despite all this, how do you evaluate the role played by the YPG in the fight against ISIS? \u00a0Because according to their figures, thousands of their fighters were killed defending their towns and villages inside Syria.<\/p>\n President Assad:<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0A large number of Syrians have been killed defending their villages in all regions, not only in that region. \u00a0It is not fair to talk about one segment of Syrians, because all Syrians defended their homeland, and all of them have defended their towns and villages. When people sense an existential threat, they must defend themselves, this is self-evident. But I wouldn\u2019t put this defense in a political framework because that would mean giving America a certificate of good conduct and implying that all American-supported forces have been fighting ISIS, and consequently America has been fighting terrorism.\u00a0 We all know and we have all stated – in Syria, Russia, and other countries, that America has supported ISIS.<\/p>\n We must distinguish between the citizens who achieved real results defending their villages and killing or eliminating a large number of terrorists, on the one hand, and the political agenda which is linked to America, on the other; we need to be accurate.<\/p>\n Question 7:<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0In October, the deadline for the withdrawal of YPG 30 kilometers from the Turkish borders expired, and Ankara claimed that YPG has not withdrawn. \u00a0Where are the YPG\u00a0units now? \u00a0Where are they located? \u00a0The equally important question is: how would these units be integrated with the Syrian Armed Forces, particularly since there was an announcement and a proposal in this regard?<\/p>\n President Assad:<\/strong> <\/span>\u00a0The Russian-Turkish agreement regarding the withdrawal of these armed groups must be implemented. \u00a0As I said previously, they are a mixture of Kurds and Arabs, but their leadership is Kurdish. \u00a0They need to withdraw because they provided the Turks with the pretext to implement their plan, which they have been dreaming of since the beginning of the war; they need to withdraw 30 kilometers.<\/p>\n As to implementation, they announced that they would implement and this has happened in some areas, but it hasn\u2019t been implemented fully and this is to be expected. \u00a0These types of measures do not happen overnight or quickly; there isn’t necessarily a central control over all the groups fighting in a particular area.\u00a0 Militias often fight and take their decisions in a chaotic manner and that\u2019s why things are implemented in a particular place and not in another.\u00a0 We are cooperating with Russia in order to fully implement this agreement, after which we should tell the Turks to start withdrawing.<\/p>\n As for integrating these groups into the Syrian Army, we have followed a principle since the beginning of reconciliations in 2013 that all those who hand in their weapons get full amnesty and return to normal civilian life like any other citizen, and they may join the Syrian Arab Army. \u00a0This has happened in many places; some of those who had fought with the terrorists later joined the Syrian Arab Army and fought within its ranks and were even martyred.<\/p>\n After the Russian-Turkish agreement, the Syrian Ministry of Defense announced that it was prepared to integrate all those fighters into the ranks of the Syrian Arab Army using various means appropriate to that region. \u00a0The official response we received was that they were not prepared to join the Syrian Arab Army and that they insist on keeping their weapons in those areas. \u00a0Also, within the framework of Syrian-Russian cooperation, we are trying to convince these fighters to join the Syrian Arab Army and fight against the Turkish invaders, which is the correct and proper way to restore the lands whose loss they have caused in northern Syria. We have to keep trying and we\u2019ll see how things progress in the next few weeks.<\/p>\n Question 8:<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0Mr. President, in fact, the war has ended in the largest part of Syria. \u00a0People are returning to their homes in their villages. What is the Syrian leadership doing in order to provide the necessary requirements for their life there? Are there statistics about the number of restored houses or schools in those areas? And what are the main difficulties faced in preparing for the restoration of normal lives for these citizens?<\/p>\n President Assad:<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0In Syria, the biggest concerns facing any citizen on a daily basis are the economic conditions and the ability to meet basic needs, as well as providing education to their children and healthcare. \u00a0In every area we enter, we immediately start to restore the schools and provide the necessary requirements, including teachers and other resources; we also ensure that hospitals are functioning.\u00a0 Similarly, we pay attention to the living conditions. However, living conditions in Syria are subject, in one way or another, to a number of external factors, particularly the Western sanctions against Syria which affect the provision of heating oil, fuel, and consequently electricity. \u00a0The embargo imposed on Syria prevents foreign investment into the country, in addition to other forms of embargo. \u00a0We are able to provide the basic needs, albeit at a minimum; sometimes we are unable to provide them in a sufficient manner.\u00a0 All of this is a result of the embargo. \u00a0We are looking for other methods; and our friends, Russia, Iran, and sometimes China, are providing some humanitarian assistance. These are the priorities and the needs of our citizens that we are trying to meet, albeit at a bare minimum.<\/p>\n Question 9:<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0The more important question is: in order to ensure the return of normal life to the country, and the return of refugees, it is necessary to provide job opportunities. \u00a0Is there a process of rebuilding destroyed facilities? \u00a0And is the process of rebuilding them difficult under these tough sanctions?<\/p>\n President Assad:<\/strong><\/span> \u00a0Yes, it is difficult, but not impossible.\u00a0 Away from any delusional or imaginary scenarios, practically speaking, there are a number of industries \u2013 the pharmaceutical industry for example, where the number of factories has risen significantly since the beginning of the war, this is also the case in other sectors.\u00a0 Of course, the pace is not as it should be, or as we want it to be, in order to provide for the return of refugees who are also looking for job opportunities. \u00a0However, the mere fact that we are able to create new industries, a few of which are heavy industries, is at odds with the existing economic conditions for a country in a state of war, which usually can only create small or perhaps medium-sized industries. \u00a0We need to now look for better ways to encourage investment because of the sanctions.\u00a0 We are currently studying our old investment law – which has been amended several times, to encourage the inflow of capital or at least the investment of capital already within the country which is not subject to foreign sanctions. \u00a0Despite all this and despite the Western and American embargo, there are a few limited foreign investments.<\/p>\n![\"\"](\"https:\/\/sana.sy\/en\/wp-content\/uploads\/2019\/11\/a-4.jpg\")
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