Former Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam announced that it is not within the power of the current Syrian President to find a settlement that allows him to escape responsibility for the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Khaddam told the French magazine Le Point that Bashar al-Assad is the one who made the decision to eliminate Hariri, and that his brother-in-law, Assef Shawkat, and his brother, Maher, were tools in his hands. Therefore, it is impossible for the blame to be directed at them, and I am convinced that Britain, the United States, and France will not accept any settlement regarding the work of the International Investigation Committee. Let’s assume that the head of the International Investigation Committee agreed to the settlement under pressure; there are reports that prove the responsibility of the Syrian authorities for the assassination, and the Lebanese have part of these reports. Therefore, he will not escape punishment. He despises Hariri and is afraid of him.
In response to a question about the reasons that may have prompted the Syrian President to give the orders to assassinate Hariri, Khaddam said that Bashar al-Assad thought he was threatened. He was born and raised in the presidential palace and was used to being unaccountable. He had a strong dislike for Hariri. During the summer of 2004, he was told that Hariri would form an alliance with the Christians and win an absolute majority in the parliament and demand the withdrawal of Syrian forces and open financial files. Bashar saw the situation as dangerous and thought that people would mourn Hariri for two or three days, not realizing the reaction in Lebanon and the world. He is mentally limited.
A card in the hands of Ahmadinejad,
Khaddam emphasized that Assad has nothing to offer to the Americans and said, “He has tried to reach a settlement with them, but they know very well that he has no influence over Iraq. He is unable to prevent or allow fighters who want to go to Iraq to fight, as the Bedouin tribes control the Syrian-Iraqi border and are in solidarity with the Iraqis.” He continued, “He is clearly threatening the Lebanese with blowing up their country, and he may be like Nero; he can set the fire, but it will consume him.” As for whether the stability of Lebanon is still in the hands of the Syrians, the former Syrian Vice President said, “That is true. The stability of Lebanon is linked to Bashar al-Assad remaining in power, but the stability of the region is now linked to Ahmadinejad, the Iranian president, so Bashar is a card in the hands of the Iranians.”
