Syria's President Bashar al-Assad has received in Damascus Mr. Antonio Ferrari, a senior correspondent of the Italian Corriere Della Sera newspaper, and gave him an extensive interview, SANA reported Monday.
Answering a question whether there is a fear that Syria could become the next target for a US military action after Iraq, the Syrian leader said there were direct threats to his country following the US-led war, but there was not any indication that an American attack on Syria would take place.
Assad conveyed "I don’t think the US will benefit from making the wrong experience in Iraq happen again. If we do feel concern, we feel more concerned of the consequences of the war which is more dangerous because the issue is not only a military invasion of a country but how it affects a country politically, economically, socially and historically…the war on Iraq had all those negative effects."
Answering a question on the US accusations to Syria that it produces weapons of mass destruction, the Syrian leader said "we responded to those accusations…our response was at the UN Security Council and the UN by proposing a draft resolution on making the Middle East region free of mass destruction weapons. They were angry when they accused us, and when we presented our answer their anger became greater."
Responding to a question on what he would say to the US President George Bush had he met him, Assad said "I would have told him the truth about everything…I would have shown to him what was wrong with his ideas. I would have asked him first where are the Iraqi weapons of mass destruction after it was proved that there were no such weapons…I would have asked him where is the democracy they spoke about in Iraq, or the better life they promised Iraqis with. So, I would say the American Administration and not Syria is in a suspicious position."
Answering a question whether Syria accepts sending troops on patrolling missions along the Iraqi-Syrian borders under US command, Assad said "Syria sees no Iraqi acceptance of an American role, and subsequently Syria cannot take any role under the American cover because for the Iraqi citizen we will be rejected as much as he the Americans are rejected."
Regarding the Israeli threats, the Syrian President stressed that Israel is ready to carry out assassination practices everywhere "so we should take the necessary measures."
And on the possibility of resuming the peace negotiations with Israel Assad noted that there is no indicators either by words or action of such possibility because Israel has no desire to resume these negotiations. (Albawaba.com)
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