Former Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam, during a press conference in Paris on Monday, stated that “the Syrian people will not stand idly by in the face of violence and may resort to taking up arms to defend themselves.” He emphasized that he does not encourage anyone to take such actions. The former Syrian official, who defected from the regime in 2005 and has resided in France since then, called for international military intervention similar to what occurred in Libya. He characterized the events in Syria as driving the Syrian president to madness, predicting a fate similar to that of the late Libyan Colonel Muammar Gaddafi, who was killed after being captured on October 20.
Khaddam also urged Arab countries to fulfill their responsibilities in supporting their brothers in Syria. He added, “The United Nations and foreign governments must take concrete measures to halt the Syrian war machine.”
Furthermore, he accused Russia and China of using their veto power in the Security Council to block specific actions against the Assad regime, yielding to pressure from Iran, with which they have significant interests.
Khaddam’s participation took place over the weekend in Paris, where he attended the inaugural meeting of the National Authority to Support the Syrian Revolution. The aim of this organization is to unite the fragmented Syrian opposition, as stated by its interim CEO, Talal Al-Tarkawi.
