Iraq Says Defected Syrian Ambassador is in Qatar
Syrian ambassador to Iraq Nawaf Fares, who announced his defection to the opposition, is now in Qatar, Foreign Minister Hoshyar Zebari said on Thursday.
"The Iraqi ambassador left the country and is now in Qatar," Zebari said in remarks broadcast by Al-Iraqiya television.
Fares defected on Wednesday and urged the army to turn its guns on the regime, becoming the first ambassador to abandon President Bashar Assad.
"I announce my defection from my post as representative of the Syrian Arab Republic in Iraq and my withdrawal from the ranks of the (ruling) Baath party," Fares said in a message aired on Al-Jazeera satellite channel.
"I call on all free and worthy people in Syria, particularly in the military, to immediately join the ranks of the revolution," he said. "Turn your cannons and your tanks towards the criminals in the regime who are killing the people."
His remarks were denounced in Damascus.
The foreign ministry issued a statement saying that Fares has been "discharged" and "needs to be legally prosecuted and subjected to disciplinary action" due to his remarks which contradict his duty.
Qatar has been at the forefront of calls to arm the opposition in Syria against the regime of President Bashar Assad and took the lead to mobilize the international community against Damascus over its 16-month crackdown on dissent.
Fares, who hails from a prominent Sunni tribe from eastern Syria, had been the Damascus envoy to Iraq since September 2008 and was a prominent member of the ruling Baath party.
almost 12 years
I've said it before and I'll say it again, it could take 6 months and it could take 3 years, it doesn't matter freedom will prevail in the end it's just a matter of time, they are chipping away one brick at a time, the walls are gone and soon the roof will cave in on the head of this regime, it was doomed from day one, patience my friends, patience.
almost 12 years
tout à fait!
almost 12 years
Da...
almost 12 years
humm, how come no one ever defect to the regime
almost 12 years
history tells us "who do not listen to the people have no place among them", obviously this regime is done , my suggestion to the Assad family : leave while you still have a place you can go to because if you keep killing your people soon no one wants anything to do with you and no place to run to
How soon? This "soon" has been a "soon" since at least 2005. Can you please be more specific? If possible, co-ordinate with Dr. Fe2e3a Jadbeh, the prominent future-teller who is yet to prove he did something right.