Syrian FM accuses US, Turkey, France, Saudi Arabia of arming, funding 'terrorists'

(Ahlul Bayt News Agency) - Syria's foreign minister on Monday accused the United States, France, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and Turkey of supporting "terrorism" by funneling arms, money and foreign fighters to rebels seeking to topple President Bashar al-Assad.

Speaking on the last day of the annual 193-nation U.N. General Assembly, Foreign Minister Walid al-Moualem also accused Libya of backing the rebels and said an arm of the al Qaeda network had taken responsibility for some bomb attacks in Syria.

Moualem said outside calls for Assad to step down amid the 18-month-old conflict were a "blatant interference in the domestic affairs of Syria, and the unity of its people and its sovereignty."

Moualem said that Qatar, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, the United States and France "clearly induce and support terrorism in Syria with money, weapons and foreign fighters."

"Under the pretext of humanitarian intervention, these countries interfere in the domestic affairs of states, and impose unilateral economic sanctions that lack the moral and legal basis," Moualem said.

"And under the pretext of concepts such as the 'Responsibility to Protect,' drums of war are beaten, and sedition and unrest are spreading and damaging the structure of national societies," he said.

"Worst of all is to see permanent members of the Security Council, who launched wars under the pretext of combating terrorism, now support terrorism in my country," Moualem said.

Moualem said the Syrian government welcomed the appointment of international mediator Lakhdar Brahimi and had itself long called for talks to end the conflict, but said the opposition was not interested.

"The success of any international effort requires, in addition to the commitment of the Syrian government, committing the states supporting armed groups in my country, particularly Turkey, Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Libya and others, to stop arming, funding, training and harboring armed terrorist groups, and instead to encourage dialogue and renounce violence," he said.

Moualem told the U.N. General Assembly that some people had tried to "fabricate a refugee crisis through inciting armed groups to intimidate Syrian civilians in border areas and forcing them to flee into neighboring countries."

"I appeal from this podium to those Syrian citizens to return to their towns and villages where the state will guarantee their safe return and their precious lives away from inhuman conditions they suffer in these camps," he said.

Moualem also used his speech to criticize Israel for not joining the nuclear Non-Proliferation Treaty and not allowing the U.N. International Atomic Energy Agency to inspect its facilities.

/129