Shaaban to Al-Manar: Netanyahu´s Policy Speech Racist

 
Hussein Assi
Source: almanar.com.lb, 17-6-2009

Syrian Presidential Political and Media Advisor Bothaina Shaaban said on Wednesday that the policy speech made two days ago by "Israeli" Prime Minister Benjamin Netanyahu is a racist and extremist one, noting that the speech is contradictory with the US President Barack Obama's latest speech.

Speaking to Al-Manar from Armenia where Syrian President Bashar al-Assad started a two-day official visit, Shaaban said that Netanyahu's policy speech put an end to all efforts to reach a compromise in the near future in the region.

Shaaban called on the international community "that claims to be free and democratic" to take a firm and true stand towards Netanyahu speech. "If anyone other than Netanyahu delivered the speech he has delivered, we would have seen the whole world assailing him and we would have seen the international media analyzing the disparities between the speech and the speech made earlier by US President Barack Obama who defended the coexistence between all sects in this world."

Earlier, a Syrian official source said that the attitude declared by Netanyahu was a clear rejection of the objective requirements that could lead to peace in the Middle East according to the international legitimacy resolutions and Madrid Conference.

"The Syrian Arab Republic considers this "Israeli" stance as a clear indication of the absence of an "Israeli" real will in reaching peace in the region," the official source said, urging Palestinians to be committed to the Palestinian national unity and work to preserve and restore the rights.

The source also called on the Arab and Islamic nations to be fully aware of the dangers that pose a threat to them, unify their efforts and take necessary procedures to face what the Palestinian cause is exposed to as a result of this "Israeli" destructive policy," the source said.

Meanwhile, Syrian President Bashar Assad held talks with Armenian President Serzh Sargsyan in Yerevan. In a joint press conference following the meeting, Assad underlined the need for moving forward quickly in relations between Syria and Armenia. He said his talks with President Sargsyan were rich in topics and dealt with several issues in the Middle East, Central Asia and the Caucasus region.

He added that he expressed to President Sargsyan Syria's considerable relief over the steps taken in regards to Turkish-Armenian relations, affirming Syria's desire to work for pushing these relations forward based on the strong relations between Syria and Turkey and between Syria and Armenia.

According to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA), the Syrian President pointed out that he explained to President Sargsyan the Syrian vision regarding the Middle Ease issue, particularly the paralyzed and stalled peace process, since there is no "Israeli" partner for peace. "We don't envision this partner in the near future. This doesn't mean that we will stop talking or working for peace, and when that partner is ready, the peace plan will be ready and we will save time." Assad said.