Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
Damascus, SANA- Foreign and Expatriates Minister, Dr. Fayssal Mikdad has affirmed that the broad participation of Syrians living abroad in the presidential elections that took place last Thursday demonstrate to the whole world that they stand by their homeland and they are more adhered to it.
In an interview with al-Mayadeen TV channel last night, Mikdad stressed that Syria’s enemies were betting on that the elections won’t be held, but the large influx of Syrians abroad to their country’s embassies in various capitals showed that the Syrians are committed to the objectives that Syria set for itself years ago, in particular the Palestinian cause and the liberation of the occupied Arab territories.
“When Syrians go to polling stations in all provinces next Wednesday, they will demonstrate their commitment to their homeland, the reconstruction, the fight against terrorism and their support to their army till achieving the final victory,” Mikdad said.
He also condemned the attacks against Syrian voters in Lebanon and hoped that the Lebanese state will play its legal role in this regard.
“The voting process would have continued for two, three and four days but those brutal attacks committed against them prevented it,” he clarified.
He pointed out that Syria’s enemies do not want the refugees to return because they want to continue investing in them.
“They expected to exploit the refugees in these elections against their country, but all these satanic dreams have completely failed and have been shattered thanks to the steadfastness of Syria and its people,” he said.
The Foreign and Expatriates Minister added that the terrorist war has been launched against Syria due to its refusal to obey American orders, the “Israeli will” and the servile rulers in some countries in Western Europe, and these are the reasons that led to all the destruction and the foreign support for terrorist groups with the aim of destabilizing Syria and undermining its independent national decision.
Regarding the restoration of normal relations with Arab countries, Mikdad said: “Syria welcomes any initiative in this domain and it supports any efforts exerted to achieve this. We must stand alongside each other and cooperate to the maximum within the framework of developing Arab-Arab relations.”
On the decision of the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) against Syria last month, Mikdad noted that the United States has exerted great pressure on the members of the organization, and yet only 87 out of 193 countries voted in favor of the decision, meaning less than half of the member states.
He pointed out that the OPCW is a technical organization in which issues can’t be solved by voting, like the General Assembly of the United Nations, but in the framework of consensuses between countries.
Mikdad said that the escalation by the OPCW took place at this time mainly with the aim of harming the presidential elections and preventing any return by Arab countries to Syria and from Syria to its Arab surroundings, and to continue to support terrorist groups, as these are Western goals, whether they are French, German, American or British.
In another context, Mikdad stressed that Syria has always been with the Palestinian people and has supported their central cause.
Ruaa al-Jazaeri
