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Syrian President Rules Out War With Israel
CAIRO, May 2 (IslamOnline & News Agencies) - Syria has no intention of entering a war with Israel, President Bashar al-Assad said Wednesday in an interview with the Spanish newspaper El Pais.
In an article published a few hours before he arrived in Madrid, Assad said he did not plan to reveal what action Syria would take in response to the Israeli bombing of a Syrian radar station in Lebanon on April 16th.
"[Syria will react] in good time, on Syrian terms and in a manner that will serve Syrian interests," he said.
He said he had not spoken of "military retaliation" because that "would play to the desires" of Israeli Prime Minister Ariel Sharon, who, al-Assad said "wants to drag the region into war."
"Syria has never been in favor of war" and "there are many ways to retaliate," he told El Pais.
Referring to the chances of a Middle East conflict breaking out, he said: "that question depends on two parties: Syria and Israel. As far as Syria is concerned, we have no intention of making war but indications to the contrary are coming from Israel.
"How could a people who want peace elect a man known to be a war criminal?" Assad added.
"If war is imposed upon us we will defend ourselves," he said, adding, "I don't believe Israel would dare launch itself into that adventure."
The president also underlined that Syria did not pose any conditions to returning to the negotiating table with Israel.
However, he said he wanted Israel to stop opposing "Syrian rights and international principles relating to the rights of Syrians and Arabs in general."
"When that is resolved, we will be ready to resume negotiations," he said.
He affirmed that the peace process began at the Madrid conference in October 1991, with peace in the Middle East based on an Israeli retreat from land it occupied during the 1967 war.
Reports from Damascus also indicate that Assad is trying to improve relations with his Arab neighbors as well, said the Syria Times.
Assad is making his first visit to a Western country since succeeding his late father, Hafez, as president last July. Spain's King Juan Carlos I invited the president, who will be accompanied by his wife, Asma.
On Thursday, the two men will open an exhibition in the southern city of Cordoba on the Umayyad caliphs, who ruled the Muslim world from Damascus during the seventh and eighth centuries.
The SANA news agency also said Assad would visit Algeria in the second half of May, contrary to Algerian reports that he would stop there on his way to Spain.
At the end of June, he is expected to travel to France.
Syria is currently in negotiations with the European Union to clinch an economic association agreement, opening up Syria's domestic market to European products.
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