Syria: Political guidelines

President Bashar Al-Assad of the Syrian Arab Republic was born in Damascus, on September 1, 1966. He studied ophthalmology at Damascus University in 1988 and arrived in London, in 1992, to continue his studies. In December 2000, Assad married Asma Assad, nee Akhras, a Syrian Sunni Muslim from Acton (west London), whom he had met in the UK, where she was born and raised. They have three children. In 1994, Dr. Bashar Al-Assad returned to Syria to serve in the army. After the death of his father Hafez al-Assad, the long-standing charismatic head of state, Bashar was appointed leader of the Baath-Party and Syria’s armed forces, and in 2000 was elected as president, unopposed, with what the regime claimed to be a massive popular support (97.2 percent of the votes). On May 27, 2007, Bashar received another seven-year presidency, with the official result of 97.6 percent of the votes with no other candidate. On December 3, 2010, he paid his first official visit to Ukraine. One and a half hours prior to the ceremony of the Ukraine-Syria presidential meeting, Dr. Bashar Al-ASSAD kindly agreed to an exclusive interview with The Day.

Mr. President, welcome to Ukraine! This is your first visit and doubtlessly a new phase in our bilateral relations. In fact, Syria is Ukraine’s number-one business partner in the Middle East. What do you expect from this visit? We have heard about a free trade agreement (FTA). How will this agreement benefit both countries?

“I expect quite a lot and your mentioning the FTA agreement has everything to do with my expectations, for it will open the door for cooperation in every sphere.

“Syria and its 22 million citizens has FTA agreements with many countries in the region, so our agreement with Ukraine will give your country access to a market with a population of 200 million.”

(As a result of the talks, both sides declared that the FTA agreement would be ready before the end of February 2011. — Author.)

The Ukrainian political leadership traditionally supports a peaceful and just solution to the Middle East’s problems. In fact, Ukraine is prepared and willing to act as a mediator in regard to the Arab-Israeli conflict. Prior to your visit, the UN General Assembly once again passed a resolution demanding that Israel unconditionally withdraw from the Golan Heights, in accordance with the previous resolutions of the UN Security Council. I was personally amazed to learn that Ukraine refrained during the vote. Did this surprise Syria as well? Will this affect bilateral relations?

“This is my first visit to your country. Your new administration, following the last elections, has declared certain changes to its policy with regard to its neighbors and other countries across the world. I hope that we will combine efforts and give a fresh impetus to our political relations. I’m saying this prior to my meeting with the president of Ukraine, so I might as well add that my task will be to explain the situation to him the way I see it. Some countries may say that they’re just unprejudiced onlookers, but in this case we are talking about international law, something every country is supposed to uphold. Syria is claiming its lawful rights, its legitimate territories. It’s like a robbery case, when the thief refuses to return what he has stole from you, with everyone around looking the other way. The issue under study concerns everyone, considering that it’s a matter of breaching someone’s legitimate rights. That’s what international law is all about, the more so that in this particular case we have pertinent UN Security Council’s resolutions that must be fully implemented.” (Several hours later, President Yanukovych would address a press conference, saying that “Peace and security in the Middle East must be restored in keeping with the pertinent UN resolution. We are convinced that the crisis in the region can be settled only by way of negotiations, involving the key political players, including Syria.” — Author.)

Many political analysts and observers refer to Syria as the key solution to the problem of establishing peace in the Middle East; some say the solution lies in Damascus. Would you please comment on this? If so, when do you think peace will reign supreme in this region?

“Your formulation is correct — not because the Palestinian direction is less important than the Syrian one. They are equally important. But Syria is a state, that’s where its strength lies, whereas there is no Palestinian state and this is perhaps their weakest point. We have absolute popular support in our efforts to achieve peace, but we shall never make a peace agreement without regaining our lands, our complete territorial sovereignty. You asked when peace would reign supreme in this region. I can answer your question on behalf of Syria: If we start going through the right procedures tonight, we’ll be through with them six months from now. This, however, requires having a partner. Regrettably, we have none. The current Israeli administration lacks the political will to move in the direction of peace. All Europeans and a number of Americans admit that Israel has no desire for peace. Therefore, our envoys visiting other countries — and here I am in Ukraine — keep saying that Israel should be encouraged to seek a peaceful solution to the problem. Once you have a reliable partner, you can expect to mount all the hurdles without undue difficulty.”

What do you think should be done to enhance human contacts, cooperation in the cultural, educational, and tourist spheres in the Middle East? Personally I would wish that an increasing number of Ukrainians visited Syria, to fall in love with your beautiful country and enjoy your singular hospitality.

“We are in the Middle East. There is a living bridge between Syria and Ukraine; there are 4,000 Syrians living in Ukraine. I have met with members of the Syrian ethnic community in Kyiv to discuss their contribution to the cooperation between our countries. There are 2,500 mixed families living in Syria. We have a second generation of young people for whom the Syrian and Ukrainian cultures are equally close and dear. We will make every effort to bring the two peoples closer together. You know, a member of a family who hasn’t seen his brother for a long time misses him terribly. We badly need to develop our transport network, considering that there is only one chartered flight, once a week. We should start by launching three flights, then five flights a week. It is necessary to work out maritime contacts between our countries and give a fresh impetus to tourism. Syria may be lacking in various spheres, compared to other countries, but it is unmatched in the sphere of cultural tourism; there are numerous unique historic sites. Of course, the younger generations should be informed about the close friendly ties between Syria and the Soviet Union, so these young people can discover Ukraine and Syria for themselves. It’s a shame that my tight schedule rules out the possibility of a leisurely sightseeing tour of Kyiv. I’m looking forward to another visit; I want to see Kyiv and other Ukrainian cities whose names are known all over the world. I want to see how your man in the street is doing.”

Dr. Al-Assad, you are very young for your post as head of state, yet you have been internationally acknowledged as a farsighted and capable politician. Frankly speaking, during my trip to Syria I kept asking about you in cafes and bazaars, where you can learn about what people representing various social strata have on their mind. I was impressed by what I heard: people are holding you in esteem. What’s your recipe of good governance?

“There are several pieces of advice offered by an onlooker (chuckling). First, never let yourself turn into a puppet on strings; never allow anyone, under any circumstances, to tell you what you should do. Even if you say no and expect to suffer heavy losses, you can be sure that you would have suffered far more, had you said yes. This is a political guideline for Syria. Second, openness and transparency of all official procedures: personal leadership, being prepared to shoulder all the responsibilities rather than shifting them on others’ shoulders, being prepared to acknowledge your mistakes. WikiLeaks reads that I’m the only head of state who makes the same statements publicly and privately (chuckling). All I can say in regard to the WikiLeaks whistle-blowers is yes, I did make that statement concerning Iran (to the effect that there is no evidence of nuclear armaments effort in Iran; that Iran will never attack Israel, for this would cause heavy Palestinian losses. — Author). I reiterate, primarily when dealing with Americans, that yes, this is my quote; you don’t believe it, then go ask anyone around and if you come up with a different version, accept it, I won’t mind. I am constantly aware of acting on behalf of my people, that this isn’t my politicking but a policy I am conducting on behalf of the people. Third, there is the effectiveness of the institutions of the state. Syria has traveled a long and thorny path of attempts at destabilization and embargoes. This doesn’t mean that one and all in Syria support the current government. People voice their views that run counter to the official one, in various spheres, but the Syrian people support us because they can see that what we’re doing serves their interest; that we aren’t following anyone’s instructions.”

Last but not least, what you would like to wish The Day’s readers?

“I wish all the readers of your prestigious periodical, all Ukrainians, to play a far more important role than previously, because you fully deserve it, especially now that you have a new administration. I wish you to have neighborly relations with other countries, because without such relations it is impossible to make headway and feel stable and secure. Also, please bear in mind the Middle East. You have friends there and you have political and economic interests there, too. We welcome Ukrainian presence in this region. I wish the Ukrainian people every success — I’ve heard about your talents and abilities from my delegation members, although I haven’t been able to witness them (smiling). Just make sure you keep them.”