Azerbaijan, Baku, 20 August / Trend / Syria applies all efforts so that the war in Iraq would end, and the troops of coalition withdraw from the country. The President of Syria, Bashar Assad, stated in his interview to ITAR-TASS and the television channel Vesti that the war in Iraq presents large danger to his country, which brings extensive damages to the commercial and economic relations of Syria with other states of the Middle East
"We all are neighbors. Therefore, the normal relations between the countries are necessary for us, and war in Iraq undermines this possibility," Assad said in his interview on 20 August.
Bashar Assad will make an official visit to Russia on 21 August, where he will hold a meeting with his counterpart Dmitriy Medvedev. The Syrian President stated that the meeting will focus on the relations between Damascus and Moscow, as well as establishment of joint investment enterprises between the countries.
Assad does not exclude that Syria will, possibly, sign an agreement with Russia on arms purchase. With regards to talks with Israel, he said that still there are no changes in this question, perhaps that indirect talks are held with the mediation of Turkey"For a period of seven years, no negotiations have been held between Damascus and Jerusalem, and reason for this was the continuation of Israel's aggression against the Arabs. This disrupts safety in the Middle East," said the President of Syria.
According to Assad, Syria will not sign armistice, unless Israel returns Golan Heights and the USA ends its anti-Syrian policy. To the question on the war in South Ossetia, he replied that supports Russia because it, just as Syria, defends its security interests in Caucasus."We have always been against the presence of the USA and Europe in the Middle East, and also in Caucasus. The issue that some countries of the CIS carry out anti-Russian policy, this affair is in the hands of Washington," stated the President of Syria.
In addition, Assad said that the West does not have the right to go against the peoples of South Ossetia and Abkhazia, while it supported split of peoples Kosovo from Serbia."If the USA and its allies support one people, then they are obligated to support others. The West acts unfairly with regards to the Ossetians, while Russia provides all possible support," said the Syrian President.
He also added that Syria has always differed with its tolerance with respect to other nationalities and confessions."The representatives of different nationalities and religions live in Syria. Syrian people has always been famous with tolerance, moreover this is not the result of any special policy of State," said Assad.
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