Walid Muallem | Turkey is a major sponsor of regional terrorism

Defence Redefined

27/09/2020

In his speech to the UN General Assembly, the Syrian Foreign Minister accused Turkey of being the main sponsor of regional terrorism, saying that Syria would make every effort to end the illegal presence of Turkish and American forces on Syrian soil. 

In his videotaped message to the General Assembly, Syrian Foreign Minister and Deputy Prime Minister Walid Muallem also attacked US President Trump’s administration, accusing it of trying to suffocate the Syrian people by imposing sanctions, “just as he did to others, who are brutally suffocating in the United States.”

The new US sanctions, which came into force in June under the so-called Caesar Act, further paralyzed the war-torn country’s already collapsing economy, barring foreign companies from doing business with Damascus.

Muallem likened the effect of the sanctions to the death of Floyd, an African-American who lost his life when a white police officer knelt on his neck in Minneapolis in late May.

“The real purpose of the Act (Caesar) is to put pressure on the Syrians, in their livelihood and in their daily life. It’s an inhumane attempt to suffocate Syrians like George Floyd and others who were brutally suffocated in the United States,” Muallem said.

In June, Russia also made an indirect reference to Floyd’s death – which sparked historic protests in the United States and around the world – with Moscow denouncing US policy against Iran as “kneeling on the ‘neck’ of the country”.

Washington says the sanctions are aimed at cutting revenue for the government of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and pushing him back into UN-sponsored talks to end the long-lasting war.

The Assad regime’s crackdown on pro-democracy protesters in 2011 led to a civil war, with Moscow backing Assad and Washington backing the opposition.

“Turkey, main sponsor of regional terrorism”

In his speech, the Syrian Foreign Minister also stated that Damascus is determined to end the American and Turkish “occupation” of Syrian territory.

“There are those who invest, support and fuel terrorism, moving terrorists from one region to another and from one country to another, all in the service of their dubious agenda. Clearly, when it comes to sponsors and financiers of terrorism, the current Turkish regime prevails. The Turkish regime is one of the main sponsors of terrorism in Syria and the region. It has facilitated the passage of tens of thousands of foreign terrorists into Syria and continues to provide all forms of support to the al-Nosra Front and allied terrorist organizations that have slaughtered Syrians,” said Walid Muallem.

He also stressed that the delivery of medical equipment to Syria has been blocked and domestic efforts to fight terrorism in the country are being hampered. “Oil wells are being looted,” he said, adding that access to food, heating, gas and electricity was blocked for the Syrian people.

“The continued illegal presence of American and Turkish forces on Syrian soil is a legal occupation. The Syrian Arab Republic will make every effort to end this occupation in any way possible under international law.”

Source: ANA MPA