In a recent interview with the German magazine “Der Spiegel,” Abdel Halim Khaddam, the former Syrian Vice President, renewed his accusations against the regime in Damascus regarding their involvement in the assassination of former Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri. However, this time he explicitly confirmed that Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad had ordered the assassination.
During the dialogue, Khaddam expressed his willingness to cooperate with any Syrian political group, including the Syrian Muslim Brotherhood. He indicated his firm intention to form an exile government.
The interview text is as follows:
Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Hariri was killed approximately a year ago. Now that you have distanced yourself from the Syrian regime in Damascus, blaming Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad for the assassination, do you not fear becoming a target of assassination yourself?
- Although I do not possess specific information about such plans, I believe the possibility exists. However, I am not worried about this outcome. I will do everything within my power to save my country from this system.
Without intending any offense towards you, what would cause anyone to believe you? I have been a key member of this system for over 30 years!
- Not everyone in the West may be aware, but all Syrians know that I have distanced myself significantly from that regime since the death of President Hafez Al-Assad in 2000. Today, my position on all political issues is radically different from that of the leadership in Damascus.
- German investigator Detlef Meles suspects that members of Syrian intelligence are behind Hariri’s death. Is he correct in his assumption?
- The fact that Damascus has launched a propaganda campaign against him actually confirms that Meles is correct.
Meles has presented a compelling series of evidence on the matter.
- You accused President Assad of being involved in the attack that killed Hariri. However, you have not accused him directly of ordering the attack. Who do you believe ordered the assassination?
From a logistical standpoint, Hariri’s assassination was a highly complex operation that could only have been carried out by prominent members of the power structure in Lebanon and Syria. Rustam Ghazali, the former head of Syrian intelligence in Beirut, couldn’t have done it alone. If Ghazali was the main perpetrator in that crime…
Based on the investigation’s findings, it is possible that the order for the assassination came directly from President Bashar Al-Assad. Assad himself stated, “If it is proven that any Syrian is involved in this crime, I will also be involved.” This statement holds significant weight.
The successor to Meles, Belgian judge Serge Brammertz, has summoned President Bashar Al-Assad to testify in the investigation.Assad’s response to the summons speaks for itself. Why does he reject the questions of the International Commission of Inquiry? He raised the point of sovereignty enjoyed as a head of state. This is baseless! President Emile Lahoud has also testified before the Committee. Why would he invoke immunity .
What makes you so certain that your accusation against him is accurate?
- I firmly believe that Bashar Al-Assad issued the order for the murder. He is a highly driven individual who often loses his temper.
Why would the Syrian president give such an order? The crisis sparked by Hariri’s death has only brought trouble to both Syria and Lebanon.
- The Hariri case was indeed the first instance in which Assad misjudged the situation. He also played a significant role in the adoption of United Nations resolution 1559, which had a devastating impact on Syria.
Was this because he demanded the Syrian withdrawal from Lebanon?
- I am well aware of that incident. At that time, we reached a remarkable compromise with the United Nations, which involved dropping resolution 1559 in exchange for the resignation of the pro-Syrian Lebanese President Emile Lahoud.
This was a demand echoed by the international community at the time.
Why was this not executed?
- Because Bashar missed the opportunity.
Spanish Foreign Minister Miguel Angel Moratinos, acting as a mediator, spent four hours negotiating with the former German Chancellor Gerhard Schroeder, French President Jacques Chirac, and British Prime Minister Tony Blair to secure their support for the plan. In fact, he successfully gained the approval of all parties involved.
However, Assad withdrew his offer at a critical moment when Security Council resolution 1559 was passed one hour later. This plunged Syria into the most significant political crisis in its history.
In light of this crisis, why would Assad order the assassination of Hariri? It would be like political suicide!
- Unfortunately, that’s precisely how it unfolded. The contrast between Bashar Al-Assad and his father is significant. Hafez al-Assad used to rely on intellect, while his son depended on money and personal interests.
Who is currently making decisions in Damascus? Is the president genuinely in control, or is he merely a puppet, as some claim?
- The family holds complete control over the situation. Forget about Parliament, the Baath Party, and the government. The Assad family bears responsibility for everything.
Your accusations seem to draw parallels with the situation in Iraq under Saddam Hussein’s rule!
- The comparison is indeed apt. Bashar Al-Assad acts similarly to Saddam, and his family operates in a comparable manner to Saddam’s family. The Syrian security services also resemble Saddam’s gangs. However, one difference is that the collapse of Bashar’s regime will occur peacefully, without a military invasion or civil war like in Iraq.
This is because Syrians view their country as a unified entity. We, as Syrians, are appalled by the situation in Iraq, and we have no desire for our nation to be divided along ethnic, regional, or sectarian lines.
But unlike Saddam’s regime, the government in Damascus still enjoys support from the people!
- The Syrian regime has depleted its authority. The president has been in power for five years now, during which poverty rates have increased, and the economic situation has deteriorated. The state of isolation on the global stage is no longer tolerable. This system will quietly fade away.
It is said that you are currently in the process of forming an exile government?
- That is indeed true.
Who do you plan to collaborate with? Will you work with the Muslim Brotherhood, which was subjected to a brutal attack by President Hafez al-Assad in the 1980s and whose leaders, like you, live in exile?
- The influence of the Brotherhood in Syria has been exaggerated. The Muslim Brotherhood movement represents only one part of the rich Islamic mosaic that undeniably plays a significant role in our country. However, why should we exclude working with them? I would not disregard any political group that adheres to democratic principles.
Does this also include the Baath Party, which recently labeled you a traitor and expelled you from the party after 60 years of membership?
- Yes, it does apply. We should not repeat the mistake the United States made with the Iraqi Baath Party. For a long time, the majority of Baathists in Syria have taken an anti-regime stance, witnessing daily systemic errors being made there.
What course of action do you plan to pursue for the country, given the presence of these unequal partners? Additionally, considering your close association with President Hafez al-Assad, some argue that you do not embody a model of democracy.
One week after Bashar assumed office in the summer of 2000, I presented him with a memorandum advocating for internal liberation. However, the president’s priority was to initiate economic reforms before considering political reforms in any capacity. Consequently, I implemented an economic reform program.
What unfolded subsequently?
- Nothing.
In that same year, I drafted a report on Syria’s foreign policy position, but he didn’t even read it. This pattern persisted for years, with not a single proposal being implemented. Gradually, my hope waned, and I eventually submitted my resignation.
How long can Bashar Al-Assad continue to govern?
- His downfall has already commenced. I believe his regime will not survive beyond this year. The mounting pressure, both internal and external, due to the investigation into the Hariri assassination, intensifies with each passing week.
