“The former deputy to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said that the opposition was able to express its policies and positions, forming a serious presence in the country’s political landscape.
Abdel Halim Khaddam expressed his conviction in an interview with Al Jazeera Net from his residence in the French capital, Paris, that the continuation of the current regime poses a danger to Syria now and in the future, emphasizing that change has become an urgent national need and in the interest of the people. He anticipated that Syria would witness a change before the end of the current year.
Khaddam attributed the deterioration of the economic situation in the country, including the presence of more than 5 million unemployed individuals and over 60% of Syrians living below the poverty line, to the Syrian regime. This comes amid the increasing rise in prices and the declining living standards. He questioned the government’s ability to pay employee salaries after three years, suggesting that Syria would turn into an oil-importing state.
The former Syrian official dismissed the possibility of President Bashar al-Assad being capable of facing the increasing international pressures on him, even if the international negotiating situation with Tehran improves, considering the close relationship between Damascus and Tehran.
Khaddam criticized the current regime’s approach to dealing with international pressures, stating that the regime relies on outdated mechanisms and methods that were used during the Cold War era but are no longer effective after the collapse of the Soviet Union, which used to support and protect Syria.
In this context, Khaddam mentioned that the Soviet Union replaced Damascus with 80 airplanes lost in a single battle during the Syrian invasion of Lebanon in 1982. He added, “But now, there’s no one to replace us.”
Responding to a question from Al Jazeera Net about Damascus’ ability to leverage the “southern cards” in southern Iraq and southern Lebanon to resist international pressures, Khaddam believed that playing with the fate of others is one of the most dangerous policies threatening Syria’s security. He emphasized that it would have extremely serious consequences for the country’s future.
The former official emphasized the necessity for Lebanon to regain its national sovereignty without being held hostage to Syria’s politics. He stated that the Syrian regime should work on strengthening the country politically and economically and grant citizens their rights, so they can confront pressures without playing with the fate of others.
Regarding the U.S. support for Arab oppositions and Tel Aviv’s relation to this matter, Khaddam affirmed that Israel supports the current Syrian regime because it weakens Syria, which is in Israel’s interest. He stated that any Arab opposition should not base its policies and calculations on external considerations but rather on national needs.”
