Prime Minister : Al Assad's Speech Did Not Come up with Something New to Resolve Syrian Crisis

Doha, January 09 (QNA) - Qatar's Prime Minister and Foreign Minister HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani has urged the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to consider the interest of his country and take a bold decision to stop what is happening in Syria of bloodshed, stressing that all parties are now ready for any real and quick solution to stop the bloodshed there. In an interview with Al Jazeera Channel TV aired this evening, HE the Premier and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani added that the speech of Syrian President did not come up with something new to resolve the crisis in the country but comes within framework of ongoing procrastination, as if the crisis in Syria began a week or a month ago, stressing that the Arab organization was not powerless about Syria crisis but did not do what needed to be to done in full. About his unannounced visit to Egypt and his meeting with the UN- Arab league joint envoy for Syria Lakhdar Brahimi, HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister said that "the visit was in fact programmed to follow-up bilateral ties between the two brotherly countries Egypt and Qatar, and there was also an agreement for a meeting with Lakhdar Brahimi, to follow up and see how the t trilateral or bilateral talks between Russia and the United States on Syria, we also talked with other parties that participated in this meeting and how to follow up this meeting, and as you know there is another meeting between Russia and the United States attended by Lakhdar Brahimi ......... "We support this path because if there is an understanding between the two countries and China, this will facilitate the process of reaching a solution at the Security Council" HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim added. About his optimism on whether the current moves could stop the bloodshed and end the suffering of the Syrian people, HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani said that " the matter was taking several tracks including of course, the diplomacy path and the a political solution approach of which we will never give up as the preferred solution to this issue as this solution needs perseverance, and also needs to recognize the truth that is there something would happen or is it a dead-end path. " HE the Premier and Foreign Minister said : " Lakhdar Brahimi has extensive experience and we are in the Arab League and the Committee on Syria we fully support his efforts, and we are sure he is the right person if there is a solution .. The problem in fact is in the Syrian side and its procrastination, HE the Premier and Foreign Minister noted. On Russian allusions that the Syrian President would resign by the end of his mandate in 2014, and whether this is considered a maneuver or a way out the could be an end to the crisis, HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister said: "I do not think that the Russians were maneuvering , we may disagree with them in views on this issue , but I do not think they are maneuvering as this issue has become, however, at the hand of the Syrian people and the resistance , and not at the hand of the Arab or even the international organizations. " He added that the Arab and international organizations are required of course first to relief the Syrian people , to stop the bloodshed through stern decisions by the Security Council a matter which did not happen , moreover these organizations are also required to help the Syrian people to defend itself this also did not happen...... the Syrian people has its own resolution for the crisis which is going on to achieve as it believes that the other party will not have mercy and started this way to end this issue. ", HE the Premier and Foreign Minister said. Asked about the comments of Ahmed Muaaz Al Khatib , head of the National Syrian Alliance in which he said that the international community wanted no winners in the ongoing fighting in Syria and a war-ravaged country, HE Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim said he would not go to that end, but would say that there are differences among members of the UN Security Council which delayed a solution, noting that if there was terrorism in Syria, as some would refer to it, then the reason for its presence is the Syrian and the international tackling of the problem. He said that Syrian citizens must be given a glimpse of hope that their houses which have been destroyed by the war will be rebuilt. He noted that he raised the issue at a conference held recently on Morocco. Recalling Arab initiatives to solve the Syrian crisis, HE Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim said a proposed Arab solution was ending Bashar Al Assad s presidential term in 2014, whereas another suggested a transitional government , a new constitution and election, but were all turned down. The Syrian president rejected other proposals and accepted a role of Arab observers only for procrastination. "We expected such procrastination, but thought he would be more keen on the interest of his country than clinging to power." The Syrian president s contribution to the worsening crisis in Syria was more important than the position of Arab countries whose response varied because of the current situation in the area, he said. "I think the Syrian president himself helped prolong the suffering and the killing of his people. He realizes that his country and people did not deserve the plight that has been going on over the past two years. He should withdraw for the interest of his people as he sees such situation, HE Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim added. Questioned whether the economic crises in the Arab Spring countries were due to the democratic change or the attempts of old regimes to restore power, HE Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim explained that economic instability naturally accompanied the transition and held back the economy at a time peoples hopes were rising. However, he said that if such countries have the vision and the desire they will be able to overcome the current situation. Efforts of some countries towards economic reform were fruitful, he said, citing Turkey as a regional example. Answering a question on reports that some rich Gulf countries were punishing economically Arab Spring states, he said he would not be drawn into the issue. However, he said that HH the Emir Sheikh Hamad Bin Khalifa Al Thani had a clear vision in helping the countries whose peoples opted for a change. The failure or success of the experience of a country of the Arab Spring hinged solely on its domestic stability, its economic and political plans and its international relations. Hence, the key to any economic or political solution for that country comes from within, he explained. On what was happening in Iraq and the accusations against Qatar in this regard, HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim bin Jabor Al Thani said that some politicians look for another party to blame when they fail to explain or solve an issue, adding that blaming Qatar for these issues has become easier. "But what interests Qatar in fueling issues in Iraq?" HE asked, explaining that the interest of Qatar is in Iraq's stability and in the consensus of all Iraqi arties, adding that the demands of any Iraqi party must be considered as they are, demands of Iraqis who have rights in Iraq, as the other party has rights. He expressed his belief that sectarianism which "unfortunately" characterizes some movements in some Arab countries, would only lead to destruction in the Arab world. "We need a period of stability and reconciliation between Arab countries in order to achieve real development," he said. On the Palestinian reconciliation and Qatar's role in uniting the Palestinian people HE the Prime Minister and Foreign Minister said that Qatar has always been supporting the reconciliation, adding that it had supported the efforts of Egypt's President Mohamed Morsy for the reconciliation and for the ceasefire in Gaza. HE Sheikh Hamad bin Jassim stressed that Qatar supports Egypt's role, referring to the reconciliation meeting held in Doha between Abbas and Meshaal under the sponsorship of HH the Emir. Gaza reconstruction has been initiated by Qatar, he said adding that disagreements between Arab countries should not affect peoples' relations nor the peoples' development. (END)