DAMASCUS, (SANA)_ Foreign and Expatriates Ministry Spokesman, Dr. Jihad Maqdisi, regretted and voiced astonishment over U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner's statements and his misquoting from President Bashar al-Assad's to be later broadcast ABC interview.
Maqdisi described Toner's statements as "nonprofessional", and "inexact", saying that ''It is regrettable and not normal that the US State Department falsifies Mr. President Bashar al-Assad's statements.''
Earlier on the day, Toner made statements and hypothetical conclusions about President al-Assad's not-yet broadcast ABC Interview.
Dr. Maqdisi underscored that the US State Department Spokesman, Toner, commented on information reported by some persons, even before President al-Assad's interview was aired. ''There is unjustified media fuss about a speech taken out from its normal context,'' said Maqdisi.
Dr. Maqdisi clarified that president al-Assad wanted to correct the form of the question raised by ABC's Barbara Walters, who asked His Excellency whether 'His forces….'', -with a possessive 'his', then President al-Assad said 'not My forces' and continued that there were forces in Syria whose constitutional task is to protect security and stability in the country.
There were mistakes committed, to which all are accountable for in accordance with judicial mechanism and an ad hoc committee to investigate and punish as long as there were evidence, Maqdisi quoted H.E. President al-Assad as saying to ABC's Barbara Walters.
President al-Assad's answers were in a serious and frank context
The spokesman asserted that President al-Assad's answers were in a serious and frank context, adding that we, however, are accustomed to the US Administration as to immediately comment on any official statement, citing some of the grave mistakes committed by this Administration like their occupation of Iraq, Afghanistan and their flying prisons, Guantanamo and the like. In reply to journalists' questions, Dr. Maqdisi said that Syria has offered logical and unconditional proposals to the Arab league, pointing out that Syria has not received any official reply from AL.
''we do believe in dialogue, and the solution is totally Syrian. We would also like the UN Security Council permanent members to commit themselves to the UN Charter in preserving international security and stability; and accordingly not to resort to meetings as to destabilize regimes,'' added Maqdisi in reference to the recently held meeting between US Secretary of State' Hillary Clinton and some Syrian opposition members.
Maqdisi hoped that the aim of such a meeting would be as to convince them to come to dialogue table and not for the more of exclusion and isolation pursued by opposition.
Spokesman Maqdisi welcomed Turkey's recent statement as to preserve good neighborly relations with Syria: ''We in Syria have reached to an advanced phase of cooperation with Turkey. If the Turkish side wanted to make a critical reconsideration of the unjustified stances, we do welcome them and are prepared to resume this cooperation.''
''We are keen on good neighborhood- with Turkey- and hope that such keenness is reciprocated.'' concluded Dr. Maqdisi regretting what relations between Syria and Turkey have lately reached to.
Al-Ibrahim
