Beirut Observer received a statement from the media office of the former Syrian Vice President Abdul Halim Khaddam, denying his interview with Channel 2 on Israeli television, as reported by Al-Manar channel and other media outlets affiliated with the Syrian regime. Below is the text of the statement:
The Al-Manar channel, affiliated with Hezbollah, and some media outlets linked to the Syrian regime, circulated information indicating that Mr. Abdul Halim Khaddam, the former deputy to the Syrian president, had conducted an interview with the Israeli television Channel 2. Therefore, the media office of Mr. Khaddam confirms the following:
First: Mr. Abdul Halim did not conduct any interview or meeting with Israeli television or any other Israeli media. We affirm that the interview broadcasted by Channel 2 of Israeli television was an exclusive interview with Mr. Khaddam for the Spanish television Channel 3. We attach to this statement the texts of the correspondences that took place to conduct the interview with the Spanish television, through an intermediary, Mr. Ziad Darwish.
Second: We categorically deny the allegations made by the journalist on behalf of Mr. Khaddam on the Israeli television screen. There is absolutely no truth to his claim (as reported by Al-Manar channel and others linked to the Syrian regime) that Mr. Khaddam and the opposition receive American and European support and funds to overthrow the Assad regime in exchange for a peace agreement with Israel. Likewise, there is no truth whatsoever to the claim that Mr. Khaddam said there are preparations by the Turkish, French, and German armies to invade Syria at the head of NATO forces.
Third: Mr. Khaddam confirms that there is no truth to the allegations of the existence of a shadow government for the Syrian opposition or any American or European financial assistance to a non-existent government.
Fourth: Mr. Khaddam categorically denies being behind the youth revolution in Syria. He emphasizes, as evident and conclusively proven in the interview on the Israeli television channel (which claims to have conducted the dialogue with Mr. Khaddam), that the revolution is led by the youth and has no connection to any group or party. Mr. Khaddam confirms (as evident in the interview) his withdrawal from political work in favor of national work. Since resigning from his positions in the party and the state, he decided not to take on any political or party roles. He states that the role of the older generation is to make way for the younger generation to build the future of Syria, supporting and assisting them, but not taking their place.
Fifth: The journalist (as reported by Al-Manar channel and others linked to the Syrian regime) claimed that Mr. Khaddam conducted an interview with him in 2005. We confirm that this claim is false because Mr. Khaddam gave only one interview to Al-Arabiya at the end of 2005, where he declared his alignment with the people and his opposition to the Syrian regime. Mr. Khaddam did not seek further interviews, as many media outlets are still waiting for exclusive interviews with him.
Sixth: Mr. Khaddam denies and confirms the inaccuracy of the claim made in his name that the Syrian people will reconcile with Israel after the fall of the regime. As clearly stated in the interview, he believes that the new system in Syria will be democratic, and the priority will be to rebuild Syria. Mr. Khaddam expresses his belief that the Syrian people will adhere to the Arab peace initiative.
Seventh: Mr. Khaddam confirms that he has criticized the American position on the situation in Syria and the Syrian regime. He emphasizes that there are no direct or indirect communications with the American, European, or Turkish administrations. These criticisms were strongly reiterated by Mr. Khaddam in his interviews with Spanish television, Alhurra TV, Japanese television, Reuters, and Al-Sharq Al-Awsat newspaper, among other Arab media, in special interviews on the last Wednesday, May 11, 2011, in Brussels.
Eighth: We believe that the journalist who conducted the interview with Mr. Khaddam for Spanish television engaged in deception, fabrication, and misleading to involve Mr. Khaddam in appearing on Israeli television. Therefore, we consider this act as a service provided by Israel to support the tyrant Bashar al-Assad’s regime through desperate attempts to tarnish the image of the Syrian opposition.
Ninth: Some websites have claimed that the Syrian journalist Fahd Al-Masri arranged the meeting between Khaddam and Israeli television. We emphasize that these allegations are entirely untrue. His appearance in the television recording was in his capacity as a journalist. We confirm that Mr. Ziad Darwish is directly responsible for arranging the interview.
