Putin pledges support for Syria in all fields

By Nahed al Husaini, Bureau Chief Damascus

A noticeable leap in the Russian-Syrian relationship: 

Putin Suggested regional cooperation in fighting ISIS

Moallem Praises Putin efforts to stop bloodshed in Syria

Moallem showed readiness to coordinate with all regional states without exception to combat terrorism  

Assad is piloting the war in Syria, but we have Iranian military experts in the field

Moscow, SANA-Deputy Prime Minister, Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem affirmed that Russian President Vladimir Putin is exerting a major effort and devoting considerable effort to stop the bloodshed in Syria and restore stability to the region.

On President Putin’s call for a regional coalition to combat terrorism, Moallem’s told Russia Today in an interview aired Tuesday “this needs a miracle”, and that countries, which have been conspiring for more than 4 years against the Syrian people, supported and armed terrorists from 100 states and dispatched them to Syria, need a miracle to change their policies vis-à-vis combatting terrorism although UN resolutions stipulate that those countries must fight terrorism.

“I believe that the move of terrorism from Syria and Iraq into the Gulf States and the explosions that happened in Saudi Arabia, then in Kuwait sounded a very real alarm,” Moallem said.

Answering a question on Assad’s reelection, Moallem said that President al-Assad has popularity, wondering if countries like Saudi Arabia and Jordan conduct any democratic elections.

“The Syria people have supported President al-Assad because he is the safety valve for Syria, and will drive his country to the shore of safety,” Moallem said.

“But to say that there is no calm in Syria or no end to violence except after the departure of President al-Assad , this is a silly stance which won’t indicate a political experience because President al-Assad is not Syria, but he is the protector of Syria,” Moallem added.

On the possibility of Syrian security coordination with those states to face terrorism, Moallem said “As for combating terrorism, we are ready to coordinate with all sides because this phenomenon will affect the security and stability of the neighboring countries and the whole world.”

As for so-called “moderate opposition,” Moallem affirmed there is no moderate opposition because those who kill don’t write on their bullet “a moderate”, adding that the US won’t be shy when announcing that it allocated one billion USD to support what it called “moderate opposition.”

On whether the latest combats with the militants were to affect the government politically to offer negotiable concessions or not, Moallem said “they planned for that, but we in Syria believe that the political solution is the final one to end the crisis.

Concerning accusations against the Syrian government to exploit the file of minorities in Hasaka and Sweida, al-Moallem affirmed that Sweida families and their support to the Syrian government and army was the thing which protected the city from the crimes of those terrorists; likewise, the people in Hasaka defend their house and land in cooperation with the Syrian army.

On the parliamentary elections in Syria, Moallem added “the elections will be held in the summer of 2016 according to the Syrian constitution regardless of the field situation.

As for reconstruction in the country, Moallem said there are regions where the army has been able to liberate, so the process of reconstruction is being run like Homs.

Responding to a question whether President Assad is leading the war or Iran, He said “Assad is the General Chief of Staff of the Syrian armed forces, He is piloting the war, but we have Iranian military experts in the field.

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Nahed is VT Damascus Bureau Chief. She is a member of the American Institute for Middle East Strategic Studies (USA) and serves as Assistant Director of Arab-American and Muslim Congress (Detroit, USA). She has a Diploma in English Literature from Damascus University (1987).

She’s also been a reporter for Turkish newspaper Aydinlik, Special Coordinator for Arab-Armenian International Law Assembly, Correspondent for Qatari News Agency, Al Ayam news Paper in Bahrain, Al Liwaa in Lebanon, Correspondent for Petra News Agency in Jordan, correspondent for the Associated Press in USA, and worked as a freelance journalist for CBS, ABS and CNN in Syria. She is fluent in both English and Arabic.