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External Affairs Minister S. Jaishankar with Foreign Minister Dr. Faysal Mekdad of Syria, in New Delhi on November 18, 2022.
| Photo Credit: PTI
A “new world order” that would be respected by all members of the United Nations was the need of the hour, said Syrian Foreign Minister Faysal Mekdad on Friday.
Delivering a special address on the current situation in Syria at the Manohar Parrikar Institute for Defence Studies and Analyses (MP-IDSA) in New Delhi, Mr. Mekdad said the government of President Bashar al-Assad had achieved a “resounding victory” against the Islamic State (IS) terrorists.
“The Arab Spring was expected to bring a result that was something that the Muslim Brotherhood wanted to introduce in our countries. At the United Nations where I served as Syrian ambassador for 11 years, the Western countries said that we should change our policy towards Israel or face the consequences,” said Mr. Mekdad revealing that the Assad government’s confrontationist policy towards Israel played a role behind the prolonged conflict in Syria. Arguing for a new world system, the Syrian Minister said illegal intervention in the sovereign affairs of developing countries should not be tolerated.
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar met Mr. Mekdad on Friday and assured him of “humanitarian support” including supply of medicines and artificial limbs to Syria.
External Affairs Minister Dr. S. Jaishankar met Mr. Mekdad on Friday and assured him of “humanitarian support”, including supply of medicines and artificial limbs to Syria.
Syria faced a public movement against the Assad government in 2011 which turned violent with the emergence of terror groups such as the Jabhat al-Nusra, Al-Qaeda and the Islamic State which took over the movement and turned it into a terror campaign. These groups challenged the authority of the Arab nationalist government of Mr. Assad but could not dislodge the government from Damascus which retains administrative control over bulk of the Syrian territory. The war, however, had imposed great hardships on the Syrian government, said Mr. Mekdad citing the destruction of the health and energy infrastructure in the country.
“We can’t import wheat and we can’t grow sufficient food as the U.S. is occupying northeastern parts of Syria. Our oil wells are in northeast Syria and the Americans are selling oil from that area to Turkey and separatist groups,” said Mr. Mekdad who accused Turkey of supporting forces that targeted Syria. He cautioned that the groups that targeted Syria could also target Turkey.
To overcome financial difficulties and the impact of sanctions, Syria was considering the option of conducting trade in national currencies with several countries. Mr. Mekdad said Damascus was examining that option for maintaining trade ties with multiple countries across the world.
“Turkey wants the support of the international community and says it’s hosting one million Syrian refugees. The question is why did they start the whole war,” asked the visiting Syrian Minister who has been the face of the Assad government on international platforms for more than a decade.
“They chose the wrong cause,” said Mr. Mekdad criticising those powers that supported the extremist groups that challenged the rule of Damascus.
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