President Al-Sharaa: Syria is inseparable, will not abandon a single inch of territory
President of the Syrian Arab Republic, Ahmad Al-Sharaa, affirmed that Syria is inseparable and will not abandon a single inch of its land, stressing that it does not want to be in a state of anxiety or tension with any country in the world, and seeks to build its foreign relations on the basis of its sovereignty, independent decision-making and prioritizing its own interests.
President Al-Sharaa said in an interview with Syrian News Channel (al-Ikhbariya) that any authority has two primary tasks; protecting the people and seeking their livelihoods as Syrian policy has been guided by this principle from the first moments.
He went on to say that the economy is not just a matter of trade and investment, but rather many other issues must be organized and balanced in order to achieve a suitable economic environment and increase production rates in agriculture and industry.
Developing Human Resources is the Economy’s Largest Capital
President al-Sharaa said that reforming the judicial and educational systems and developing human resources are the economy’s largest capital, in addition to energy, services, roads, the internet, communications, and open political relations with neighboring countries.
President al-Sharaa added “There are many sectors and projects currently being worked on simultaneously to revive the economy, especially agricultural development and irrigation projects. For example, there has been a significant decline in agriculture in recent years. Syria used to produce approximately 4 million tons of wheat, and now it produces 700,000 tons. Over the past nine months, 1,150 new production lines have been added, in addition to the factories that have been rerun.”
President al-Sharaa indicated that the Syrian Development Fund aims to primarily address the issue of camps and displaced persons, then to contribute to opening roads, removing rubble, establishing infrastructure and services for destroyed and uninhabitable villages and towns, and providing loans to farmers to help them increase production.
We do not want to live on politicized aid and loans
The President emphasized that the reconstruction project is a small word, but it contains many details and takes a long time. It is a working method that begins with what is available and according to priorities, during the recent period, the door to foreign investment was opened after amending the laws.
President al-Sharaa said, “We do not want to live on aid or politicized loans, therefore, there must be an alternative; which is opening the country to investment and a new mentality for building the Syrian economy that is compatible with Syria’s environment and the new modern global state of economic development.”
President al-Sharaa added, “There are many experiences, and I am not in favor of copying them. However, we must benefit from them and integrate them with the existing data within Syria, then build on them with economic projects. Foreign investments provide many job opportunities and provide foreign currency. At the same time, there are investments that also work to repair infrastructure such as roads, airports, energy, and water.”
Syria has rebuilt its international and regional relations very quickly
President al-Sharaa explained that the movement of investment and capital within Syria is reflected in all sectors, and that Syria’s openness to foreign investment also provides it with foreign markets. This is followed by another aspect; trade exchange and the provision of markets for Syrian products when we develop plans to increase production in Syria.
The President said that Syria has rebuilt its international and regional relations very quickly, and we have seen great support from most countries around the world, especially from countries in the region, the United States also has a strong desire to invest in Syria.
“Syria is a country with a very important strategic location. For example, the passage of internet lines through Syria to connect the East and West provides an infrastructure of up to 6,000 km of fiber optic cable. It is safer and a simple investment that does not require large sums of money.”
Trade routes between East and West pass through Syria
President al-Sharaa added that Land trade routes between East and West necessarily pass through Syria. Today, the entire world is complaining about two fundamental issues; the security of supply chains and energy supplies, both of which are available in Syria.
The President pointed out that the ousted regime feared foreign and domestic investment, while investment does not frighten; on the contrary, it promotes stability in the country, which is reflected in its politics and international relations.
President al-Sharaa emphasized that Syria is a very important country, and the entire world is eager to invest in it, having lost it over the past 45 years due to its isolation and frequent unrest. However, the liberation that happened on December 8th, provided a new historic opportunity for the region, and no one wants Syria to return to its former state.
Some Israeli policies prove its grief over the fall of the ousted regime
President al-Sharaa said that some of Israel’s policies indicate that it mourns the fall of the deposed regime. It wants Syria to be an arena for conflict and settling scores with a regional state. Moreover, the regime’s rapid overthrow has deprived some countries that do not wish Syria well of many of their previously planned strategies.
President al-Sharaa explained that Israel had a plan to divide Syria, but it was surprised by the regime’s fall. Furthermore, it has traditionally addressed its intelligence problems and occasional security failures by using its muscle. This is not a healthy policy, because exaggerated fears lead to war.
“We are now in discussion with Israel, which considers the regime’s fall to be Syria’s withdrawal from the 1974 agreement, despite the fact that Syria had demonstrated its commitment to it from the outset, contacted the United Nations, and asked UNDOF forces to return to their previous positions,” the President said.
He added, “The i’s are being dotted, and a security agreement is being negotiated so that Israel would return to what it was before December 8, i.e., to the 1974 agreement or something similar. These negotiations have not yet concluded.”
Syria Does Not Want to Be in a State of Tension with Any Country in the World
President of the Republic emphasized that Syria seeks complete calm in its relations with all countries of the world and the region, and this has been a clear policy from the beginning. It does not want to be in a state of anxiety and tension with any country in the world, and therefore the ball is in the court of the countries that seek to incite strife and unrest in Syria.
The President added that Russia is an important country in the world, taking into consideration that it is the second most powerful country, and is a member of the Security Council. There are close ties with Syria that have existed since independence in 1946. If we want to change some of the paths in the structure of the Syrian state, this must be within the framework of a purposeful strategy, and it is in Syria’s interest to have calm relations with Russia.
President al-Sharaa pointed out that there are inherent ties between Syria and Russia in various fields and sectors, which must be preserved and managed in a calm and measured manner.
“If we continue to look to the past, we cannot move forward. We must overcome the obstacles of the past and deal with broad dynamism. What is important is that relations are built on the foundation of Syrian sovereignty and the independence of its decision-making, and on the basis that Syrian interests come first,” the President said.
Syria Has Been Able to Build Good Relations with the United States and the West
President of the Republic emphasized that Syria has been able to build good relations with the United States and the West, maintain a calm relationship with Russia, and consolidate good regional relations with Turkey, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Qatar, Jordan, Lebanon, and Iraq, with relations also improving with Egypt.
He added, “As for Iran, the wound was somewhat deeper, and we are not saying there will be a permanent rift between us and the Iranians.”
Syria is currently in a temporary and transitional phase
President of the Republic explained that Syria, in the post-liberation phase, has entered several stages, the first of which was filling the presidential vacuum, followed by holding a national conference encompassing all segments of the Syrian people, then forming a government, and then holding parliamentary elections. This is not enough, as there are many steps that require multiple phases.
“We must take into account that we are in a temporary and transitional phase. When revolutions succeed, they move from one regime to another, and this takes time. After the elections, the constitution will be drafted, and there will be many details. However, the policy we have adopted is to work on all aspects simultaneously,” the President said.
Sweida community is an essential part of Syrian society and an authentic component
President al-Sharaa pointed out that a dispute aroused in Sweida between the Bedouins and the Druze community, which escalated. Mistakes were made by all parties; the Druze community, the Bedouins, and even the State itself. The first duty was to stop the bloodshed, then form fact-finding committees, and hold accountable all those who committed offenses and mistakes.
President al-Sharaa noted that some parties attempted to exploit the situation, both within Sweida and within Israel, to push through certain projects.
“I believe that Syria is inseparable, division leads to contagion. For example, if northeastern Syria were to pursue some form of partition, Iraq and Turkey would be greatly harmed, and there would be repercussions for many regions around the world,” the President said.
President al-Sharaa stressed “Ultimately, Syria will not abandon a single inch of land. This is an oath we swore before the people to protect all Syrian territory and for Syria to be united. There are many measures to achieve this.”
“The degrees of freedom are broad in Syria”
President of the Republic explained that the world has now surpassed any notion of confining the media to a narrow crucible, especially with social media, indicating that the covenant between the government and any other entity, such as the media or any other institution, is the law. This law must protect the rights of the government, the rights of the people, and the rights of the media institution itself.
President al-Sharaa emphasized that degrees of freedom are broad in Syria. It is healthy and sound to have critical voices, but there must be clear controls, which must be limited and not excessive. The law must monitor these controls.
There will be political pluralism in Syria
President al-Sharaa added “We are not in a time where the president decides everything, and I do not want Syria to be like that, and I do not believe the people would accept this. I believe that it is healthy to have broad media freedom and minimal controls.”
President al-Sharaa pointed out that political activity without regulating laws opens the door to conflict and disputes. Therefore, laws, regulations, and the constitution must be put in place so that those engaged in politics know the space within which they should operate.
Syria is built properly, and what we need is patience and trust
President al-Sharaa said “I have overflowing feelings of love for the Syrians, and Syria must be built properly in its infrastructure. People will see improvement every month. What we need is patience and trust, and to be objective in presenting our issues and proceed gradually.”
“We cannot achieve all the dreams that people have, especially after 60 years of deprivation. What has been achieved to date is something very significant. Just as God Almighty has honored us with liberation, Allah will honor us with gradual and effective solutions to our problems, touching every home in Syria.”
Mazen Eyon
