Mr. President, esteemed members,
The Arab and international arena, particularly the Arab-Israeli conflict, witnesses profound developments whose effects are not limited to current events but extend to the future of the entire region.
This stage, where our threatened nation constantly faces Zionism and imperialism, confronts unified enemies in decision and action, yet it lacks unity in stance and practice. This places us in new circumstances that necessitate a serious and thorough review, transitioning from the state we are in within the Arab homeland to a new qualitative state that enables us to confront the Zionist-American Sadatist alliance and its tools.
Undoubtedly, the revolutionary movement, possessing a clear, comprehensive vision and determination, can always seize the initiative, not only for resilience against conspiracy but also for confrontation and achieving victory.
Today, a nation facing issues regarding its destiny has no choice but one for its revolutionary movement, and that is the choice of confrontation, ending all forms of hesitation, and transitioning from a phase of anticipation to a phase of action. The movement of history will not stop with the hesitant and fearful.
The situation we face today is almost unique in our history, a situation where the Egyptian regime has moved from our trench to the enemy’s trench to become an ally against its own nation, indifferent to the profound damages it inflicts upon the nation and its future.
Dear brothers,
Our need for new elements to add to our strategy at this stage requires us to have a precise understanding of the overall developments in international and Arab arenas, as well as in the Arab-Israeli conflict arena. This will help us in determining our stance more accurately and in choosing the best path forward.
International Developments – It may be useful for me to address before your council the most important international developments and their implications on our region. The world has become small and narrow, where events in one region no longer have merely regional consequences, especially since our region today, due to its strategic and economic location, has become the most sensitive and influential area on international security and peace. Especially concerning the most dangerous consequences of the Camp David Accords, they have shifted international conflict from around the region to its heart.
The most prominent international developments include:
Firstly, the failure of détente between the two superpowers and the emergence of a state of international tension, with its main causes being:
- The imbalance in international equilibrium caused by the Camp David Accords, the Egyptian-Israeli Treaty, and the American aggression in the Middle East and the Levant to control them and their resources. The United States has transitioned from a stage of supporting Israel to being a partner and a major party in the ongoing conflict in this region. Not only does it participate in decision-making, but it also possesses military presence through bases in Egypt and Oman. Just two days ago, the presence of American military in Egypt was announced under the pretext of conducting military maneuvers with Egyptian forces.
2 – The decision of NATO to update weapons in Europe and placing the Soviet Union under the nuclear umbrella of NATO, causing a significant imbalance in strategic equilibrium after the signing of the Second Agreement to Limit Strategic Weapons.
3 – Western cooperation with China and attempts to deepen the conflict between the Soviet Union and China to make China the major problem for the Soviet Union, resulting in a great drain on the strength of the Soviet Union and upsetting the balance in favor of the West.
4 – The global economic crisis and its repercussions on the Western economic system and the development of third world countries, along with the urgent need for energy. The issue of energy in the next two decades will be about securing and providing for the need, as demand is increasing while resources are diminishing.
Secondly – The expansion of the countries that have freed themselves from Western influence, and the increase in anti-imperialist sentiment in the Third World, along with the proliferation of progressive countries in this world.
Thirdly – The failure of the Camp David Accords to fully achieve their objectives in resolving the Palestinian issue and consolidating aggression, leading to a state of Arab rejection of this policy. The United States failed to prevent its allies in the region from taking positions that supported its policy, leading to the emergence of a policy of resilience in the face of the Camp David policy, exemplified by the Syrian Arab stance. This helped form an Arab and international movement against American imperialist schemes, as the resilience of the Arab stance contributed to creating the ground on which global support, especially from liberation and progressive forces, relied upon for our resilience. This resilience posed a significant obstacle to American policy in the region, which was reflected in the international situation.
Fourthly – The Iranian Revolution, which led to the downfall of an advanced base for American imperialism, played a dual role in the Arab world, East Africa, and Southwest Asia, both for and against the Soviet Union.
Undoubtedly, the Iranian revolution played a prominent role in upsetting the balance in favor of the peoples of the region and of liberation and progressive forces worldwide.
Fifthly – Events in Afghanistan and their exploitation by American imperialism to achieve the following objectives:
- Creating interest in the Arab world, especially in the Levant, to divert attention from the Palestinian issue and to preoccupy some countries in the region with the supposed Soviet threat instead of directing their forces against the real Zionist threat.
In other words, when Arabs direct their attention towards the Palestinian issue, it means confronting American imperialism, and when they divert their focus against their friends, it means falling into the trap of imperialism.
2 – Forming an Islamic belt around the United States’ strategy in the Third World, thus exacerbating contradictions with the Soviet Union, which provides support to Third World countries, weakening these nations and consequently subjecting them to American imperialism and the influence of the Western world.
3 – Muddying the waters in the Arab region and breaking the isolation surrounding the Sadat regime, facilitating the implementation of the Camp David policy.
All of these matters were clear to us, so the leadership made a decision not to participate in the exceptional Islamic conference held regarding Afghanistan. Instead, we considered that one of the goals of this campaign was to create conflict with our friends, leading to the weakening of our capabilities, making us an easy target for the Camp David policy.
Mr. President – Honorable Gentlemen,
As you can see, these developments have a direct impact on our region, making us involved in all of these developments and in taking positions that serve our principles and national interests. Our principles and interests always align with the anti-Zionist and anti-imperialist stance in our region and its history.
4 – Arab Developments – Following the signing of the Camp David Accords, Arab governments were able to reach, at the ninth Arab Summit in Baghdad, what was then called the minimum, or what we can now call less than the minimum.
During the Baghdad Summit, we could not reach a decision to condemn the Camp David Accords and condemn the Sadat regime. The decision made at that time was to reject both mentioned agreements and their outcomes.
However, despite this, we considered the decisions of the ninth summit to be a great victory because they maintained the unity of the Arab stance. In other words, we succeeded in confining the Camp David process to the Sadat regime only, without extending it to other Arab countries that have close relations with the United States. In other words, we succeeded in prioritizing the national factor over the external factor.
As we succeeded in the meetings of Arab foreign and economic ministers, which were held between the 27th and the end of March 1979, in taking decisions to politically and economically boycott Egypt. We hoped to develop the minimum achieved under the umbrella of Arab solidarity towards forming a national Arab front capable of restoring the balance disrupted by the exit of the Sadat regime. The exit of Egypt, its disruption, and the transition of the Egyptian regime to the opposing camp are considered a qualitative change in the region and in the arena of the Arab-Israeli conflict. Thus, we had to search for the creation of a new qualitative factor that would restore balance to the region. We sincerely looked forward to the Arab arena trying to provide this factor, which in our opinion should include the following elements:
1 – Providing the military capabilities necessary for the Syrian Arab Republic to achieve a military balance against the Israeli front, not just an Arab-Israeli balance, as the forces on the front cannot be taken seriously if they are not present in the conflict zone.
2 – Ensuring Arab decision-making independence and providing the requisites for this independence.
3 – Providing the will to make decisions regarding the use of available resources in the Arab arena in our favor in the ongoing conflict against Zionism, thereby prioritizing national interest over individual interests.
4 – Considering the Arab-Israeli conflict as a national issue, and bearing the burden in this conflict according to available resources for each country and employing them in the conflict arena. Thus, the responsibility does not stem from assisting confrontational countries but rather from their participation on a national basis.
Through these considerations, we focused our efforts in the Arab arena on developing the concept of Arab solidarity qualitatively. However, it must be acknowledged that:
1 – The United States rushed to revitalize its efforts in the region, thereby obstructing Arab solidarity and preventing its development. If we examine the political map of the Arab world, we can hardly find two neighboring Arab states united by good neighborliness.
2 – The Central Intelligence Agency played a significant role in causing difficulties for all Arab countries, creating problems for each nation, which affected the direction of efforts towards the main issue.
3 – Over these years, a narrow nationalistic spirit has become entrenched, with many prioritizing their own emirate over the nation, and sometimes valuing the regime over the emirate.
4 – The growing trend towards consumption and the complexity of life, coupled with the pressure to provide necessities, has significantly impacted national orientation and interest in fundamental national issues.
All of this has created a painful situation in the Arab world where vast resources are being wasted and not being directed properly, making it extremely difficult to provide the qualitative element needed to restore balance to the region in the current circumstances.
We must strive to correct the existing situation with all our capabilities, directing them to the main arena and towards the primary enemy. Therefore, working towards achieving Arab solidarity based on mobilizing energies for liberation and defending the nation is something we will continue to strive for.
The Situation in Lebanon:
One of the matters that must be discussed is the situation in Lebanon, as a result of the national responsibilities that the state has assumed regarding the situation in the Lebanese arena.
We have made great efforts in recent months to normalize life in Lebanon, to push towards national reconciliation, enabling Lebanon to regain its national unity, confront the Israeli enemy, fulfill its Arab responsibilities, and strengthen trust with the Palestinian resistance.
Through the recent communications, several ideas and principles have been agreed upon which will play a significant role in developing the situation within Lebanon, if implemented.
5 – The Arab-Israeli Conflict Arena: The Arab-Israeli conflict arena has witnessed significant developments, notably the withdrawal of the Egyptian regime and the establishment of an alliance between the United States, Israel, and the Sadat regime.
The first phase of the Camp David agreements has been implemented, and efforts are currently underway to implement the second phase, which involves resolving the Palestinian issue. It can be said that the parties involved in Camp David failed to find a Palestinian negotiator, as our Palestinian brothers represented by the Palestine Liberation Organization both inside and outside the occupied territories refused to get involved in the Camp David swamp. Instead, our brothers in Palestine, under occupation, heroically resist this plot and endure many sacrifices and pains. Today, attempts are being made to contain the Palestinian position both Arabically and internationally. Some Arab movements are assisting in finding Palestinian axes within the framework of Camp David or similar frameworks. Additionally, some European countries are attempting to circumvent the Arab position. The European summit issued a statement two days ago, and we clarified our position on this statement in an official statement broadcasted yesterday evening, analyzing the European statement and concluding that it is a new edition of Camp David.
In discussing the Arab-Israeli conflict, there must be a deep review of our overall policy in the upcoming national conference of the party, as we are entering a new phase.
It must be acknowledged that Camp David is a milestone in our conflict with Zionism, as we cannot face the post-Camp David phase with the same strategy as before.
One of the most significant changes that must occur in our policy is the stance on the principle of political settlement. Discussing political settlement in the current imbalance of power will only lead to acquiescing to Israeli demands.
Arabs are now living in the illusions of peace, while Israelis experience the realities of aggression and war. While some Arabs search for words to issue statements or statements from one state or another, Israelis work on building settlements, displacing Arabs, or intensifying the Judaization of Arab land.
The policy of the Syrian Arab Republic, based on the considerations mentioned, will focus in the next phase on achieving the following:
1 – Enhancing the resilience trend in the Arab arena, thus Arab joint action must primarily focus on effectively mobilizing energies in the arena of conflict. Therefore, Arab solidarity not based on this clear foundation linked to the national interests of the Arab nation will not be able to confront the successive developments in the Arab arena.
2 – Achieving strategic balance with the enemy and exerting all efforts towards it, and rearranging our internal and external policies on this basis.
In other words, everything that helps us achieve balance, and therefore resilience and liberation, must be sought.
3 – Strengthening our relations with all liberation and progressive forces and developing them qualitatively with the Soviet Union in a way that enhances the anti-Zionist and imperialist front and helps us restore balance to the region.
4 – Strengthening the role of the Non-Aligned Movement on the basis of opposition to Zionism and imperialism.
5 – The party leadership giving greater importance to the role of the Arab masses across the Arab homeland to bear their national responsibilities.
Mr. President, esteemed members:
As we face these developments, it was necessary for us to make serious adjustments to our policy, and the guidance given by the President of the Republic has always been that in our movement in the arena of conflict, we must always have the ability to take the appropriate stance at the right time and face new circumstances with new decisions, not freezing in place because there is no worse condition for us than stagnation and hesitation.
This country has endured despite the conspiracies aimed at weakening it and ending its role, because ending Syria’s role means ending the role of the Arab nation, and there is no exaggeration in that; these are historical facts.
We are confident that our nation will be able to overcome this difficult and harsh stage because we are working for a cause that is linked to our future and the future of generations to come.
Finally, I thank you for your attention, and peace be upon you.
