Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
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Damascus, SANA – Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem said Russia’s participation in fighting Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS terrorist organizations will turn the tables on those who plotted conspiracies against Syria.
“There is something new beyond (Russia) providing Syria with weapons, which is Russia engaging in fighting ISIS and Jabhat al-Nusra,” said al-Moallem in an interview with the Russian RT channel that was aired on Saturday.
“This is a major issue. It is something that will turn the tables on those who conspired against Syria and will show that the US and its coalition have had no strategy for combating ISIS, and the evidence is that they have grasped the Russian message and now want to coordinate and cooperate with Russia,” al-Moallem added.
He made it clear that what Syria is doing along with its friends in Russia is open and that there is nothing going on under the table, pointing out that Russia does not hide its will to participate in fighting terrorism.
“We in Syria,” he said, “trust the Russian Federation’s leadership and its intention to participate. What we are doing is open and known to all.”
Al-Moallem explained that Russia is acting under the international law and in coordination with Syria, criticizing the US for acting otherwise as far as the international coalition it leads against ISIS is concerned.
He said the US is busy counting the number of airstrikes carried out by the coalition and not the results “because they are ineffective,” stressing that the only force fighting Jabhat al-Nusra and ISIS is the Syrian Army.
The Minister renewed Syria’s welcoming of Russian President Vladimir Putin’s initiative for establishing a wide front of countries to cooperate with the Syrian government in facing terrorism, stressing that Syria welcomes any country that is really willing and sincere to fight terrorism.
As fas as the political solution is concerned, al-Moallem stressed that the Syrian government does not mind starting political dialogue in parallel with the efforts of fighting terrorism.
“We don’t want to walk in a dark tunnel. We want to walk in an open path,” said al-Moallem, stressing that it has become today clear that fighting terrorism is the priority, “but this doesn’t mean that we are not pursuing political dialogue.”
“What the Syrian citizen wants above everything else is security,” he added.
Asked about the situation in al-Zabadani and the ceasefire there, al-Moallem explained that there had been four attempts at establishing ceasefire and there were results, but in each time the terrorists received instructions to break it, noting that there is now a fifth attempt at a time when the Syrian army and the Lebanese Resistance are only meters from resolving the battle in al-Zabadani.
“We care for the people’s lives and we are open for considering the ceasefire,” he added.
Reem/H.Said
