Syria Refuses to Change Position, Says ‘Plot Will Fail’
Syria's Foreign Minister Walid al-Muallem said Monday that the government in Damascus will not budge despite its suspension from the Arab League, which he warned was a "dangerous step."
"The decision of the Arab League to suspend Syria... represents a dangerous step," Muallem told a packed news conference in Damascus.
"Today there is a crisis in Syria which pays the price of its strong positions. Syria will not budge and will emerge stronger... and plots against Syria will fail," said the minister.
Muallem said that the Syrian government was not concerned about the likelihood of foreign military intervention in the country, due to the opposition of China and Russia.
"Syria is not Libya. The Libyan scenario will not be repeated; what is happening in Syria is different from what happened in Libya and the Syrian people should not worry," he said.
"I'm sure that Russia wants to play an effective role in the dialogue to be held (between Syria's government and the opposition), and this is a positive thing.”
"I think that the position of Russia and China, which we thank them for... will not change," said Muallem.
His remarks came as the Arab League called a new meeting on Syria for Wednesday after voting to suspend the country's membership, drawing global praise but triggering mob attacks on foreign embassies in Damascus.
Saturday's vote to suspend Syria from the Arab League, by 18 of the bloc's 22 members, triggered attacks by angry pro-regime mobs on the Damascus embassies of France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey.
And Muallem apologized for the violence.
"I, as foreign minister, apologies for this matter," Muallem told the news conference.
"It is important... that this does not repeat itself. The protection of the embassies is part of our responsibilities. For this reason I apologize for what happened."
Qatar and Saudi Arabia were among the countries that voted to suspend Syria from the Arab League.
The regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad has responded with lethal force in a bid to crush unprecedented protests against his rule that erupted in March.
The United Nations says more than 3,500 people have been killed in the crackdown.
But Muallem said that he believed the crisis in Syria is approaching its end.
"I think that the crisis is reaching the beginning of the end," he said, while issuing a call for dialogue with the opposition.
"The program of reform is clear," he added in reference to a series of measures the Assad regime has announced since the protests broke out, including promises of a new constitution for a multi-party political system.
Western governments have repeatedly criticized the Syrian regime for failing to implement the reforms and for following the announcements up with even more bloodshed, prompting many to say Assad's time is up.
over 12 years
His lies are sagging under his chin
over 12 years
end is near indeed..... your end that is
over 12 years
Your days are numbered... to the bin of history soon.
over 12 years
"I think that the crisis is reaching the beginning of the end," he said, that's the only bit I agree on, the end of the crisis is what Bashar nightmares are all about... One hope is that you criminals get a fair trial and rot in prison, rather than just a quick death like Qazzafi. A long and painful time in prison until You die
over 12 years
mouallem, please stay th course, as it is leading to your end. :)
over 12 years
Moallem reminds me of the Iraqi minister of information during the war!
over 12 years
Well...others would simply call it "Propaganda"!
over 12 years
It is called "Denial"! ;-)
over 12 years
Here is another Mohammed al-sahaf! His words are a sign the regime is starting to shake
over 12 years
@marc
That's the name! ;-)
over 12 years
ya mr walid syria should change her system and be as democratic as all the arab world countries especially as democratic syria should be as the gulf countries
over 12 years
may any country that contributed in creating havoc in lebanon since 1969 , 73 , 75 be burned to aches , any country be it syria iran saoudieh israel, USA france ,....u name it
over 12 years
Is this guy folling us or thinking that we're stupid and uneducated like he is? What Dialogue is he talking about when his regime is killing its people in a daily basis! I think this guy is the soul of stupidity and his demeaner is childish.
I heard him speak on Al Ararabiyah. he was in such a demoralized state he barely was able to spell words.
I am certain he and his boses are shitting in their trawsers. It's not going to be long before all the ones supporting the regime will extricate themselves and join the opposition.
I am waiting for the time when Syria becomes a democratic state. We will benefit as well in Lebanon.
God bless all those who fight for freedom.
over 12 years
Jordan king asked Bashar to step down
over 12 years
So Mouallam says that Syria is "at the beginning of the end" of its crisis. He should talk to Aoun. Aoun says that Syria is at the end of the end of its crisis.
What is the difference?
Aoun is "more royal than the king". Is is more an apparatchk of the Assad cabal than even Mouallam which means that Aoun's head is buried deeper in the sand than is even Assad's when it comes to denial over the state of affairs in Syria.
Why? Because Assad has a place to go when he falls from power. Aoun has no place to go when Assad falls, so that Aoun is more desperately in need to be comforted by the illusions that its over in Syria than is even Assad, who may face the gallows for what he has done trying to hold himself in power against the wishes of his people.
over 12 years
Your neck will require a bigger rope.
over 12 years
Clutching at Straws... Living in complete denial will not change the fact that the end of this Criminal Stalinist regime is very near indeed...
The ones that are still on the side of the dead-ender criminal Assad Family regime should realize by now that they are risking everything for nothing, and that they will only be sacrificed by the Assads to desperately hold back the coming devestating Hurricane of people and international accountability that is now on the Horizon... Better try to distance themselves from the regime so that at least they would have some chance of getting a fair trial maybe with reduced sentences instead of payng the ultimate price with their criminal master if they chose to stubbornly and foolishly stand by him or shall I say infront him till the very bitter end....
over 12 years
well they said the Arab league does not have observers?
500 observers from the Arab League will be in Syria on Wednesday :)
let us now see millions of demostrators take to the street against this regime freely.
Assad you can hide the truth for a while, but it will surface again tenfold....
over 12 years
the end of this regime depends on what the international community wants... they have been shy so far to take any action because they know that bashar in place means security for israel in the golan heights and they must be sure that a regime change will mean the same thing!
otherwise they would have taken severe measures long ago! it all depends on how the west will negotiate with the russian and chinese which have felt humiliated for the libyan crisis.
the fate of bashar doesn t lie in damascus anymore
over 12 years
All foreginers should leave Syria
over 12 years
This is the same idiot who said things will be over 4 months ago and that his job would be so easy bla bla bla... i am glad the regime is stubborn... which means military intervention sooner or later.. and a horrible end. This guy would die of heart attack most likely.
How many more thousands of innocent Syrians must die before Assad and his criminal regime realize they are no better than Khadafi and they are dead men walking? As certain the sun will rise again, as certain Assad regime will fall! Enough senseless killing and destruction