Prime Minister: Syria Committed to Reaching Peaceful Solution to Crisis Based on National Dialogue

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Prime Minister, Dr. Wael al-Halqki, stressed Syria's commitment to reaching a peaceful solution to the crisis based on national dialogue between the Syrians.

The Prime Minister said that the Non-Aligned Movement has played a central role and achieved notable successes in international issues of concern to its member countries, especially ending colonialism, eliminating racial discrimination, the demilitarization and development.

In his speech at the 16 NAM Summit in Tehran, al-Halqi said Syria accepted the plan of the UN Envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan, and cooperated with him and with the UN Supervision Mission in Syria (UNSMIS) for the sake of implementing the six-point plan, adding that it has become clear for all that for Annan's plan to succeed, international commitment and genuine political will by the sides which support and have influence on the armed terrorist groups is required in addition to the Syrian Government's commitment.

Syria regrets the Egyptian President Mohammad Morsi's statements on Syria as no one has the right to speak about the legitimacy in Syria since it is the right of the Syrian people only, al-Halqi stated.

Al-Halqi pointed out that for several months, Syria has been targeted by terrorist acts backed by foreign sides.

He added that some states which claimed support to peaceful solution and Annan's plan are still insisting on foiling any political move aimed at ending the crisis in Syria peacefully.

He said that the Syrian Government prioritized the peaceful reform demands and worked in cooperation with the national sides in the opposition on building a new Syria based on democratic pluralism to meet the aspirations of the Syrian people.

However, al-Halqi noted, the armed terrorist groups which are backed from the outside have exploited the ongoing events in Syria and killed and mutilated civilians and military officers and committed horrible massacres.

The Prime Minister stressed Syria's condemnation of the economic sanctions imposed by some states on Syria, adding that the Syrian people is the most affected side by these sanctions.

He expressed Syria's appreciation of the good offices of Iran and the NAM countries taking part in Tehran Consultative meeting on Syria which was held on August 9th to boost international and regional efforts to help the Syrian people find an exit from the crisis and pave the ground for national dialogue in a peaceful atmosphere.

Al-Halqi said that the international community has agreed to combat the scourge of terrorism that is threatening stability in many countries, but defining terrorism and means of combating it have remained hostage to double-standard policies and political wrangling.

''Confronting the concept of humanitarian interference and the responsibility of protection pose a real challenge for the Non-Aligned Movement which was founded on deepening respect for the sovereignty, independence and territorial safety of countries, equal sovereignty and non-interference in their internal affairs and the abstention from aggression, using or threatening force against them on the basis of peaceful settlement to conflicts,'' Dr. al-Halqi said.

He added that NAM's self-assigned role on the international arena largely depends on the movement's unity and the solidarity among its member countries, and its ability to address the standing international challenges.

He congratulated Iran for leading the Non-Aligned Movement in its 16th summit, expressing confidence that Iran will lead the movement with high competence to face the challenges.

Al-Halqi: Syria is Targeted by Systematic Terrorist Attack backed by Foreign, Arab and Regional Countries

In an interview with al-Alam TV on Thursday on the sidelines of the NAM Summit, al-Halqi said that Syria is targeted by systematic terrorist attack backed by foreign powers, especially the US, EU and, regrettably, Arab countries such as Qatar and Saudi Arabia, and regional countries, such as Turkey.

Al-Halqi added '' the situation in Syria assumes a prominent position at Tehran Summit which we view with a lot of optimism considering the positive outcomes it will yield.''

He indicated that solving the crisis in Syria is based on the call for a national dialogue that engages all national political parties until reaching the outcome that the Syrian people aspire to and is put to a national referendum.

Answering a question on the speech of the Egyptian President Mohammad Mursi on Syria at the Summit, al-Halqi said that Mursi's speech is detached from reality and is an unacceptable interference in the Syrian internal affairs, adding that the speech runs contrary to the founding principles of NAM regarding respecting the sovereignty of countries.

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