Syrian Vice President Abdul-Halim Khaddam expressed great concern about the situation in Iraq during his meeting with an Iraqi delegation in Damascus, which included more than 160 representatives of tribes last Saturday.
The radio quoted Khaddam as saying at the beginning of the meeting, “I confirm to you the great concern of your brothers in Syria about what Iraq is going through because Iraq is an important part of this nation.” He added, “We are concerned because those who seek to harm Iraq and the Arab and Muslim nation aim to achieve goals that leave no place for Arabs and Muslims to breathe freely and with dignity.”
He continued, “The bet of those who seek harm in Iraq was on fighting and conflict among the sons of the same people, as they expected Iraqis to tear each other apart, weaken everyone, and make Iraq a vulnerable prey. Then, the fall of other Arab and Islamic regions would follow. However, this bet failed, and the voice of the Iraqis was unified in rejecting any conflict. We believe that national unity is the safe path to end the occupation.”
On the other hand, Abdul-Rab Al-Hussein Al-Saadi, a member of the delegation, emphasized the importance of strengthening Iraq’s unity and eliminating sectarianism, saying, “Iraqis reject the occupation and hope for the establishment of a free and independent government.”
Khaddam also announced in a press statement following a meeting with an Iraqi tribal delegation that there is no presence of Al-Qaeda in Syria. He stated, “Al-Qaeda does not exist in Syria, and they are wanted by Syria. We have had problems with such organizations for a long time, and the Americans know that they have no presence in Syria.”
Responding to American accusations, especially regarding infiltration into Iraq through the Syrian borders, Khaddam said, “There is no infiltration from Syria, and there are no groups in Syria seeking to infiltrate into Iraq. These accusations are part of a political media campaign with no basis of objectivity.”
Regarding accusations that Syria supports terrorism, Khaddam mentioned cooperation between Syria and the United States in the fight against terrorism and said, “There has been serious cooperation between us and the United States on the issue of terrorism. However, this matter is related to Israel’s interests.”
As for the presence of offices of radical Palestinian organizations in Syria, Khaddam said, “The United States knows well that there is no Palestinian organization in Syria engaged in any activities. Those abroad engage in political struggles to defend their cause, and in the occupied territories, there are people and leaders responsible for leading their struggle.”
Regarding Syrian-American dialogue, Khaddam affirmed that his country had not closed the door to dialogue, not with the United States nor with others, except with Israel. Regarding the Syria Accountability Act passed by the U.S. Congress, Khaddam stated, “There are no economic interests in Syria affected by such a decision. It is an American decision, and Syria also has its interests and can preserve them.”
