Mr. Abdel Halim Khaddam, the former Syrian Vice President, downplayed the importance of the Friends of the Syrian People conference held in Turkey in an interview with “Radio Sawa.” He stated that any conference that does not decide to form an international military alliance to overthrow the Assad regime will not be beneficial. Mr. Khaddam pointed out that the Syrian people are not only facing the regime but also an alliance consisting of Iran, Iraq, and Russia.
He expressed astonishment at the statements made by Nouri al-Maliki, the Iraqi Prime Minister, and added to Radio Sawa, “Everyone should realize that the Syrian people are not only facing the regime but also an international alliance composed of Iran, Russia, and Iraq with the goal of controlling the region.”
Mr. Khaddam said, “I am surprised by Maliki’s stance when he opposes foreign military intervention in Syria. Hasn’t he and his party in Iraq governed under the American umbrella and with an American decision since the fall of Saddam Hussein?”
Regarding the Arab League’s call to go to the UN Security Council to issue a resolution under Chapter VII of the United Nations Charter, Mr. Abdel Halim Khaddam said, “Nabil Arabi and other Arab officials are living outside the realm of reality. Firstly, the Security Council will not make a decision based on Chapter VII due to the Russian and Chinese veto, and the Arabs have gone to the Security Council before and were disappointed by Russia.”
The speaker clarified that “Nabil Arabi is trying to give Bashar al-Assad new opportunities. All Syrians hold Nabil Arabi and those behind him responsible for all the bloodshed in Syria because of the legitimacy they granted to Bashar al-Assad.”
