Sources close to participants in the 10th Qatari Congress of the Arab Socialist Ba’ath Party, which continued its activities on Tuesday, have revealed that Syrian Vice President Abdel Halim Khaddam, 73 years old, has requested to be relieved of his responsibilities.
Khaddam delivered a speech criticizing Syrian foreign policy in recent years, particularly regarding Lebanon. As one of the two Syrian vice presidents, Khaddam expressed his intention to step down from his post following what political sources described as a heated discussion with Foreign Minister Farouq al-Shara.
During his 90-minute intervention, Khaddam focused on the failures of foreign policy, holding al-Shara responsible for the deterioration of Syria’s relations with the outside world. Khaddam emphasized that after serving 30 years as foreign minister and vice president, he deserved the opportunity to present his perspective before the political committee formed by the party conference, headed by al-Shara.
Western diplomatic sources in Damascus emphasized that relieving Khaddam of his responsibilities did not imply a shift in Syrian politics. They explained that Khaddam and al-Shara had differences, primarily concerning al-Shara’s firm policies, particularly regarding Lebanon and relations with the United States.
Sources close to the conference participants revealed that Khaddam, a member of the Qatari leadership, had also submitted his request during a meeting of the Political Committee chaired by Minister al-Shara on Monday evening.
A Western diplomatic source stated that Khaddam had been contemplating relinquishing his responsibilities for some time due to disagreements with al-Shara, especially regarding the Lebanese issue. The source added that the Vice President of the Republic held a less rigid and more moderate stance compared to the Foreign Minister.
Minister of Expatriates Buthaina Shaaban, the spokesperson for the conference, responded to reports of Khaddam’s resignation. She stated that any resignation should be submitted to the president rather than being announced during a Baath Party conference. She emphasized that Khaddam should present his resignation directly to the president.
Opposition figure Michel Kilo praised Khaddam’s actions and expressed hope that they would serve as an example for others to follow.
