The former Syrian vice president has expressed his intention to meet with the International Commission of Inquiry, which is investigating the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafik Hariri.
Abdel Halim Khaddam stated in an interview with the Associated Press, “If Syria is implicated in Hariri’s assassination, it is possible that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad may also be involved due to the authoritarian nature of the Syrian regime.”
While Khaddam refrained from directly accusing Damascus or the Syrian president of being responsible for Hariri’s murder during his self-imposed exile interview, he mentioned that he had warned the former Lebanese Prime Minister about the threats to his life and advised him to leave Beirut.
In a subsequent interview with Asharq Al-Awsat newspaper, Khaddam, who has publicly disassociated himself from the Syrian regime, stated his aim to overthrow Bashar’s government by mobilizing the Syrian people and initiating a popular uprising. He informed the newspaper that he was actively rallying the Syrian opposition to create the necessary conditions for the people to bring down the regime.
Khaddam clarified that the regime “cannot be reformed, and the only option left is its overthrow,” emphasizing that “it is the Syrian people who will topple the regime.” He highlighted the frustration and national disunity caused by the regime’s isolationist policies, stating that “the opposition is growing rapidly.” However, he pointed out the lack of a politically influential figure who can effectively challenge the regime.
