Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam, currently residing in voluntary exile in Paris, announced his resignation from his post. He criticized what he referred to as the President Bashar Al-Assad’s monopoly of power as one of the factors contributing to the deteriorating situation in Syria.
In an interview with Al-Arabiya channel from his residence in Paris, Khaddam revealed that there were several threats against the late Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri prior to his assassination. These threats allegedly involved the head of the Syrian security service in Lebanon, Rustam Ghazali, and senior Lebanese officials. Khaddam refrained from accusing any specific party of being responsible for the crime.
Khaddam expressed his surprise at the suggestions implicating Ahmed Abu Adass or individuals in the operation, stating that the assassination of Hariri was executed with advanced technology by a well-equipped entity capable of managing such a major operation.
Khaddam called for waiting for the results of the International Commission of Inquiry responsible for investigating Hariri’s assassination. He emphasized the international recognition and support for this investigation, stating that it would be premature to assign blame to any specific party at this stage.
Regarding the report presented by the committee’s chairman, Judge Detlef Meles, Khaddam described it as technical and professional. He noted that Judge Meles provided a summary of his findings, as divulging all the details could compromise the integrity of the investigation. Khaddam praised Meles as a competent professional who steered clear of politicizing the investigation, and emphasized that the report was compiled based on evidence collected from the suspects.
Khaddam stated that he met with President Assad several days after Hariri’s assassination and informed him that Ghazali was the individual responsible for Lebanon’s crisis. Khaddam urged Assad to form a committee to investigate the events in Lebanon. However, instead of removing Ghazali from his position, President Assad extended his duties.
Khaddam stated that Hariri had faced numerous threats, recalling an incident where he heard President Bashar al-Assad utter harsh words in the presence of Syrian security officials, shortly before the extension of Lebanese President Emile Lahoud’s term for several months. Khaddam recounted how he subsequently met with Assad and warned him about the potential consequences of such words, particularly when voiced in the presence of security officials. He added that President Assad realized the mistake, especially after learning about Hariri experiencing nosebleeds. Assad then requested Khaddam to contact Hariri, arrange a meeting, and resolve the “crisis” caused by those harsh words. Khaddam revealed that he had been informed about Ghazali insulting former Lebanese Prime Minister Hariri and Speaker of the Lebanese Parliament, Nabih Berri, as well as embezzling a significant amount of $35 million from the Lebanese bank, Bank Al-Madina. Khaddam claimed that he informed President Assad about these allegations.
Khaddam mentioned requesting Hariri to leave Lebanon after the decision to extend Lahoud’s term, due to his complicated situation in Syria. In response to reports suggesting a meeting in Syria discussing Hariri’s assassination, involving Khaddam and five other officials, Khaddam vehemently denied such a gathering took place. Khaddam criticized the Syrian government’s handling of various issues and their misguided interpretation, stating that he had conveyed these concerns to President Assad. He specifically highlighted Syria’s involvement, through Foreign Minister Farooq al-Shara, in International Resolution 1559 concerning Syria’s presence in Lebanon. Khaddam further revealed that he had warned Assad about Syria’s precarious situation after the resolution’s issuance, and cautioned against delusions that Washington would come crawling to negotiate Iraq’s situation.
Khaddam emphasized that the greatest problem arises when a state lacks a clear policy, leading it down a treacherous path into utter darkness. He asserted that had President Bashar Al-Assad heeded his advice, Syria would not have found itself in the current minefield. Khaddam concluded by stating his conviction that the process of development and reform, whether political, economic, or administrative, would not progress without proper guidance.
He mentioned having visited Paris on one occasion and expressing his desire for French President Jacques Chirac to send a group of French experts to address certain issues in Syria. He added that while France did send experts and provided several suggestions, progress remained stagnant. Khaddam highlighted the limited role of Syrian institutions in the present era, stating that they primarily served to endorse the decisions made by the Syrian leadership. He pointed out a concerning and unprecedented phenomenon of corruption in Syria, which resulted in the emergence of numerous millionaires while half of the Syrian population lived below the poverty line and the other half struggled to meet it. Only a few individuals enjoyed prosperity due to the rampant corruption. Regarding his current presence in Paris, Khaddam stated that he has regained his freedom to write his memoirs about the time when he served as a key figure in the Syrian government. He denied any deportation or estrangement, clarifying that upon self-reflection, he realized he had to choose between the country and the regime. He opted for the country, as it represents the permanent reality, while regimes are temporary occurrences in the country’s history, like any other. He affirmed having a good relationship with President Assad and meeting with him prior to his departure for Paris, denying any threats before leaving Syria. When asked about his role in implementing the Taif Agreement, Khaddam acknowledged the failure of both Syrian and Lebanese leaders in fully executing the agreement, along with instances of misconduct on both sides. Concerning the suicide of former Syrian Interior Minister Ghazi Kanaan, Khaddam suggested that considering the circumstances surrounding Kanaan and the pressures he faced, suicide might be a plausible explanation.
