Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
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Damascus, SANA – President Bashar al-Assad expressed to UN Special Envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura the Syrian government’s readiness to continue work with him and provide the necessary support and cooperation to make his mission a success in a way that serves the interest of the Syrian people and to reach a solution that ensures the elimination of terrorism and the various terrorist organizations regardless of their names.
During a meeting with the international envoy and the delegation accompanying him on Thursday, the President stressed that the success of de Mistura’s mission would be a success for Syria and its people.
President al-Assad said that what Syria and the region are currently witnessing has made combating terrorism a priority because it has become the greatest danger that is threatening everybody.
He added that any progress that could be achieved in combating terrorism would contribute to boosting the national reconciliations which have so far succeeded in many areas across the country, forming a springboard towards a comprehensive inter-Syrian dialogue.
A positive atmosphere prevailed in the meeting, especially in terms of discussing the recently-issued international resolution no. 2170 on combating terrorism, as the views of both sides were concurrent in terms of agreeing on the importance of the resolution and the need of putting it into effect correctly.
De Mistura, for his part, affirmed that he will spare no effort in working with all sides inside and outside Syria with the aim of finding a peaceful solution to the crisis in the country through a political process in parallel with fighting terrorism and going ahead with the national reconciliations.
The meeting was attended by Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and Expatriate Minister Walid al-Moallem, Political and Media Advisor Buthaina Shaaban, and Deputy Foreign and Expatriates Minister Fayssal Mikdad.
Speaking to reporters after the meeting, de Mistura said the threat of terrorism has become a source of international concern and fear which is shared by everyone, stressing that fighting terrorism is “a priority for us.”
He considered that combating this threat cannot be done without speeding up a political process that would lead to a different security situation and result in creating better conditions for Syrian families.
He highlighted the importance of helping the Syrians reach a comprehensive political solution of their own while taking into account the latest facts and developments, citing in particular the danger posed by the terrorist groups identified in the Security Council’s resolution no. 2170.
The UN envoy said that the results achieved by his predecessors Kofi Annan and Lakhdar Brahimi “will not go to waste.”
He noted that it is clear that the terrorist groups must be confronted, especially since the international community is moving step by step in that direction.
He made it clear that the process of combating terrorism is a comprehensive and mutual one that includes taking stronger security measures and embarking on a comprehensive political process to isolate the terrorists from the rest of the population.
De Mistura said the meetings which he has held in Damascus were very successful, noting that his meeting with President al-Assad was lengthy and very productive.
He asserted that the UN will work hard now to help the Syrian government and people so as to reduce the scale of violence as a priority and deliver aid and services to the Syrian families wherever they are.
He stressed that these efforts must happen together with launching a comprehensive political process, noting that the priority now is for resolution no. 2170.
The international envoy noted that after he holds meetings in Damascus he intends to meet a number of leaders in the region and later head to the UN General Assembly to submit a report to UN Secretary General Ban Ki-moon on all the views and suggestions he would have got from inside Syria and from the Syrians abroad as well as from the region and the international community.
De Mistura viewed it as important that the UN is currently active in Syria, stressing that they will work diligently to scale back violence, which he said has become a daily pattern for the Syrians who have already suffered enough.
“The good news is that everybody now feels the need for some initiatives regarding terrorism, which has become the talk of the region and the world,” he said.
De Mistura reiterated that the more comprehensive the resolution 2170 is, the better, and that each moment passing with the crisis in Syria still dragging on will entail new approaches, noting that there is a tendency on the international level towards supporting resolution 2170 now that terrorism has become a source of concern for everyone.
Haifa Said/Hazem Sabbagh
