Under the patronage of Syrian President Hafez Al-Assad, the Qatari leadership of the party organized a significant central festival yesterday evening on the runway of Damascus University. The event marked the 28th anniversary of the March 8 revolution and the seventh general conference of the General Federation of Peasants, held under the theme of “Deepening Democracy, Encouraging Productive Initiatives, Developing Cooperatives, Increasing and Improving Production to strengthen the country’s resilience and reflect the farmers’ determination to build a society based on unity, freedom, and socialism.”
The festival was attended by Abdullah Al-Ahmar, the Secretary-General’s Assistant of the party, Dr. Mohammed Zuhair Masharqah, the Vice President of the Republic, Mr. Abdul Qader Qaddoura, the Speaker of the People’s Assembly, Dr. Suleiman Qaddah, the party’s assistant secretary, members of the party’s national and Qatari leadership, members of the Central Command of the Progressive National Front, Mr. Abdulrahman Tokabri, the Secretary-General of the Arab Peasants Union, ministers, party branch secretaries, governors, heads and members of Arab and foreign delegations participating in the conference, conference attendees, as well as many farmers and invitees. The festival commenced with a minute of silence to honor the souls of the martyrs of the March revolution and the martyrs of the nation, followed by the audience singing the mission’s anthem.
Mr. Khaddam delivered a speech on behalf of the Arab Socialist Baath Party, in which he began by conveying the warm greetings of President Assad, the leader of the revolution, to the masses of the Syrian people on this significant occasion.
He emphasized that Syria is bound to accept responsibility for all its risks and challenges, stating that without accepting these challenges and making sacrifices, Syria and the entire nation would face humiliation and shame. He added, “The pursuit of national interests and the protection of Syria’s policy priorities remain our foundation, particularly in countering the Zionist challenge and ensuring the implementation of United Nations resolutions related to the Arab-Zionist conflict.” He further stated, “The liberation of the occupied Arab territories and the restoration of the Palestinian Arab people’s inalienable national rights are central goals that we will continue to strive for.” Khaddam stressed the importance of building an Arab environment that enables Arabs to address their causes and direct their capabilities effectively. He emphasized that the pursuit of liberation does not divert attention from the crucial struggle for Arab unity, as it is intertwined with the destiny and future of the Arab people worldwide.
Khaddam acknowledged the establishment of significant blocs and highlighted Syria’s policies over the past 20 years, attributing their success and progress to the leadership of President Hafez Al-Assad. These policies have shielded the country from significant harm, enabled the revolution to persist, defended core causes, and elevated Syria’s standing in the regional and international arena. He regarded President Hafez Al-Assad as an esteemed historical leader, guiding the nation in the right direction.
Moreover, Khaddam emphasized two fundamental aspects of Syria’s policy: its principled nature and its ability to adapt. He stressed that gambling with the country’s affairs is prohibited, rejecting any adventurism. Instead, risks are calculated within certain feasible and necessary circumstances, and resolute action is taken when required. Syria has fearlessly confronted all challenges and fully embraced its responsibilities towards matters concerning Syria and the wider nation. Alongside the Arab-Israeli conflict, Syria has tackled the issue of Lebanon, where a devastating civil war nearly tore apart the brotherly country, causing immense harm and working against Lebanon’s and the nation’s interests. Syria has actively engaged in resolving the Lebanese crisis due to national and political reasons, despite the significant burdens and sacrifices it has entailed.
He emphasized that “the efforts made by Syria and the sacrifices it has made have led to a Lebanese national agreement enshrined in constitutional provisions. The guns have been silenced, the fighting has ceased, and the process of normal life has gradually resumed in Lebanon.” He stated, “Syria is diligently fulfilling its obligations towards Lebanon as stipulated in the Charter of National Accord, and providing support to the Lebanese state in restoring its authority across the entirety of Lebanese territory, unifying the country’s institutions, and putting an end to the fragmentation and chaos that have persisted during the crisis.”
In the Gulf crisis,
Khaddam stated that “the Arabs faced a serious and alarming situation on August 2, 1990, when Iraqi forces invaded Kuwait, violated its sovereignty, and declared its annexation to Iraq.” He emphasized that “the invasion of Kuwait was an extremely perilous event in the Arab region, which had not witnessed such instability for several centuries.” He described the invasion as “shocking, painful, and dangerous, as it violated all principles and values, posing a significant threat to national bonds and squandering tremendous resources and capabilities.” He stated, “Syria should have condemned the invasion and firmly opposed it from the very beginning, as it constitutes aggression and turmoil. Syria cannot accept the establishment of a larger country by devouring a smaller one, as this would turn the world into a lawless jungle. Such actions also create a precarious situation in the Arab world, prompting small countries to seek foreign protection out of fear from their own brethren. This is exceedingly dangerous.” He added, “We cannot accept the principle of employing force in relations between brotherly nations under the pretext of Arab unity. Arab unity is not achieved through oppression, aggression, and displacement, but through the free will of the people. Syria should have unequivocally stood by Kuwait, as it was a victim of aggression. Failing to do so would have justified the Israeli occupation of parts of its own territory and other Arab lands. Syria should have stood resolutely despite the suspicious clamor against the Iraqi government, for the sake of the Iraqi people.”
He further added, “The danger was grave and apparent to Syria. It was clear that the war initiated by the Iraqi regime against Kuwait would lead to a war launched by the international community against Iraq, resulting in a catastrophic disaster.” He emphasized that “Syria’s rejection of aggression and its desire to liberate Kuwait and restore its legitimacy were driven by our concern for Iraq, its people, and its army.”
He said, “Our understanding of the situation within Iraq, particularly in the armed forces, heightened our apprehension and worry for Iraq and its army. The profound divide between the regime and the people makes it difficult and inconceivable to imagine that the Iraqi people would willingly engage in a war they do not believe is their own. The suffering, stubbornness, exhaustion, and anguish endured by the Iraqi people during the eight-year war with Iran make it challenging to accept them as fuel for a new military gamble.”
He pointed out that the Iraqi military establishment had been the primary victim of the regime for 20 years, as a significant number of competent and courageous Iraqis were eliminated, severely undermining the morale and capabilities of the army. In such a situation, the Iraqi army was led into a misguided war in the wrong place.
After portraying the post-invasion scenario and the Iraqi regime’s rejection of all Arab and international efforts and initiatives, Mr. Khaddam stated, “Confronting this dire situation, Syria decided to put aside any disputes with Iraq and stand alongside it in case of aggression following its withdrawal from Kuwait.” He added, “This horrifying scene compelled Syria to make decisions that could have entailed significant and weighty burdens in order to rescue Iraq and prevent the impending disaster resulting from a ruthless invasion driven by insatiable ambitions and dark aspirations fueled by the greed for Kuwait’s oil and resources.” Khaddam stated, “President Hafez Al-Assad took various actions to persuade the Iraqi government to withdraw its forces from Kuwait and spare Iraq and its army from an inevitable catastrophe.” He highlighted that “during the Cairo Summit, Mr. President exerted tremendous efforts to safeguard Iraq, but these endeavors were thwarted by the Iraqi regime’s rejection, arrogance, and obstinacy. Subsequently, Mr. President dispatched multiple messages through Arab officials and friends to the Iraqi leadership, aiming to spare Iraq from the calamity it couldn’t endure. Only the leadership of the Iraqi regime could have prevented such calamities, but these efforts and appeals went unheard.”
Khaddam reviewed “the developments of the crisis and how the Iraqi regime gambled with the fate of those Arabs who opposed the Kuwaiti invasion while being concerned about Iraq and its people. Those who voiced their support for the invasion under the pretext of defending Iraq contributed to stoking strife and implicating the Iraqi leadership. They aligned themselves with the Iraqi regime through their fiery statements.” He stated, “They share responsibility with the Iraqi leadership for every drop of bloodshed in Kuwait and Iraq resulting from this reckless and criminal venture.” Khaddam emphasized that “saving Iraq was certainly achievable, but vanity and greed are blind to reason.” He remarked, “What alarmed us was the possibility that the Iraqi regime would choose to withdraw from Kuwait at an inopportune time and make all the concessions that could have been avoided if it had heeded the call of reason, logic, and conscience.” He further noted, “The problem with Iraq is that the regime has become a substitute for the Iraqi people, and the leader of the regime has become a substitute for the regime itself. In such a situation, the people become victims, and the country becomes the fuel that ignites the past, present, and future.”