The Arab League refuses to acknowledge the existence of armed terrorist groups

Syrian Foreign and Expatriates Minister Walid al-Moallem said on Monday "The Syrian Leadership decision is derived from the pulse of the Syrian People who took in millions to squares and said their word in support of President Bashar al-Assad's reforms and in rejection of the Arab League illegal decision.

The Arab League closed all windows with Syria by the resolutions it adopted Sunday

In a press conference, Al-Moallem added that the Arab League's decision on Sunday closed all windows with Syria, pointing out that some of the League's members are pushing for turning the Syrian matter into an international issue.

Al-Moallem stressed that the sanctions imposed by the Arab League target the Syrian people, wondering what good the Arab League is without Syria, adding "I invite them to study Syria's history since Gouraud's ultimatum and not direct ultimatums or sanctions at us."

The Foreign and Expatriates Minister said "our people must never worry… we say that Syria comes first in defending our people's interests… it will remain the beating heart of Arabism, and the others will return to this heart.

Those sanctions will pose no danger to Syrians' daily lives

"We must have faith in our national economy… these sanctions will pose no danger to Syrians' daily lives, as our people are accustomed to pressure," he said, noting that 60% of Syria's economy relies on agricultural production, so the Syrians will not go hungry or cold, but some luxuries may be lacking for a while, adding that most foreign investments are focused in real estate projects which Syrian can compensate for," added al-Moallem.

Minister al-Moallem reiterated that Syria, away from AL, will go ahead in the reforms as announced by President Bashar al-Assad, with a new modern constitution which would compete most of world constitutions.

Those who have a patriotic spirit and care for the country should promote dialogue

Al-Moallem stressed that "national dialogue is the solution and the Syrian leadership is serious in holding a national conference for dialogue which will involve the authority, the opposition and the millions of Syrians who have clear demands and must be represented in the dialogue in addition to those who wish from the national opposition abroad, adding that those who have a patriotic spirit and care for the country should promote dialogue.

The Arab League refuses to acknowledge the existence of armed terrorist groups

Al-Moallem said that the army sacrificed hundreds of martyrs to protect civilians and confront terrorists, noting that when some call on the army to cease violence, they are making a false accusation, adding that the Arab League refuses to acknowledge the existence of armed terrorist groups committing murder and abduction and attacking state establishments, pointing out, for example to the recently martyred Syrian pilots, who were ambushed by a terrorist armed group.

A film showing some heinous crimes perpetrated by armed terrorist gangs in different places in Syria was screened during the conference.

The film clearly shows armed terrorist men killing innocent civilians, members of army and security personnel, mutilating the corpses and carrying out arson and sabotage attacks.

The film also shows a reportage by al-Jazeera channel claiming that the Syrian army killed a child whose mother was shown in mourning; this example of media falsification by the channel was proved to be a further lie. The mother of the martyred child stated that the armed terrorist groups showered the child with bullets while he was buying a biscuit. "The armed men took him, filmed him and returned his corpse," said the bitterly-crying mother.

At this point, al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya TV Satellite channels cut their live-transmission of the conference as to hide their already-exposed fabrications and lies.

The Minister blasted later in the course of the conference the media war of lies and fabrications against Syria, saying that "Al-Jazeera and al-Arabiya are leading a war aiming to shed the Syrian blood."

Syria committed to the agreed-upon Arab work plan made in Doha

The Foreign and Expatriates Minister affirmed Syria's commitment to the agreed-upon Arab work plan made in Doha, adding that the Arab Ministerial Committee and that Arab League violated this plan.

"They suspended Syria's participation in the Arab League's meetings because they don't want to hear the other voice," he pointed out.

Al-Moallem stressed that the draft protocol presented by the Arab Ministerial Committee infringes upon Syria's national sovereignty and is basically a submission protocol.

He pointed out that Algeria's amendments to the protocol meet ٨٠% of the amendments Syria suggested, and that Algeria suggested adding the amendments to the protocol as an appendix.

"However, the Arab League's answer to the Algerian amendments was that nothing can be amended and the correspondences cannot be considered an appendix to the protocol… this rejection of amendment meant to impose the protocol as a project for submission," al-Moallem elaborated.

He went on to stress that the Arab League's sanctions, particularly the fifth article, show a preemptive intent for escalation against Syria and is an indicator towards turning the matter into an international issue.

"The Arab work plan was clear… but the League's intents were not honest," al-Moallem said, asserting that the deviation from the Arab work plan showed that there are Arab countries who chose to be a part in the project against Syria.

"Stop funding gunmen in Syria and media instigation against it… we want you to take steps to control borders… we are prepared to cooperate with neighboring countries," he said, noting that armed terrorist groups intensified their crimes after the army and security forces exited some towns.

If the Arab League wants to deal with Syria wisely, it has to abrogate its sanctions

Al-Moallem said that halting dealing with the Central Bank is a declaration of economic war from the viewpoint of international law, adding " If they, in the Arab League, want to deal with Syria wisely with care, they have to abrogate their decisions- sanctions ; and let us return to the work plan in letter and spirit and start implementation together. If they are keen on the Protocol, they are welcome and let them delegate a legal committee from the AL to hold legal discussions with us as to reach to an agreement; it is not a carrot or stick! We are not to be treated so!'' underscored Foreign and Expatriates Minister.

The Foreign and Expatriates Minister affirmed that the Syrian army is carrying out its duties to the fullest, stressing that significant achievements were made in controlling the borders and protecting citizens from the attacks of terrorist groups, adding "up to the day, the Syrian army hasn't used a single tank's cannon or aviation or heavy weaponry, rather only personal weapons… today most cities contain law-enforcement forces."

"There are those who jumped on the bandwagon of turmoil in the Arab world and made Arabs submit to and carry out the plan devised for each country," al-Moallem explained, stressing that there will be no war or foreign military action against Syria and that the most that can be done is economic and political sanctions.

Al-Moallem: Syria will emerge from the situation stronger

Foreign and Expatriates Minister said "Syria will emerge from the situation stronger, putting a stop to those who jumped on the foreign bandwagon and restoring sense to a few."

Foreign and expatriates Minister called on AL Secretary General, Nabil al-Arabi, to read well the AL Charter, particularly article ٨ which stipulated the non-interference in the member states' domestic affairs asserting that the decisions of the AL target the Syrian People and not the government.

"Once again, we are proud of the friendly Russian stance… information indicates that there will be no war or foreign military action against Syria, but rather arming and training of terrorist groups which is manageable," he elaborated.

He saluted the honorable Iraqi stance which is keen on both the Syrian and Iraqi people, as well as the Lebanese stance.

In reply to a question about Alain Juppe, France's Foreign Minister, recent statement that 'Syrian Regime days are numbered', Syria's Veteran Minister al-Moallem said: '' if Juppe thinks so, let him live and see.''

Answering another question, Minister al-Moallem said that some neighboring parties and organizations, not as governments, carry arms and armed men smuggling operations and that some of them have training camps asserting that all of this would never affect Syria's steadfastness and would never lead to a civil war.

In reply to a question about contacts between Libya's new leadership and the so-called 'free army', Minister al-Moallem disclosed: "I have information that some of those who fought in Libya have been transported into Turkey as to be smuggled into Syria! I hope this information were false."

Minister al-Moallem asserted, in reply to a question regarding Turkey, that Syria is committed to Adana Agreement and that Syria's stance regarding the Kurdistan Workers Party (PKK) is clear even if the brothers in Turkey did harm to us.''