Syrian Foreign Minister Assaad al-Shaibani said Saturday that Damascus aims to “correct” its relationship with Lebanon and guarantee a “dignified return” for Syrian refugees, in comments broadcast on Syrian state television.
Al-Shaibani, appointed earlier this year, said his government is “working to address the effects of the previous regime’s policies, which relied on blackmail diplomacy.”
He added that “the new Syria is mentioned today in international forums as an example that makes us proud, unlike the previous period,” stressing that the country seeks to shield itself “from any polarization or targeting of the transformation that has taken place in Syria.”
The foreign minister also described Syrian diplomacy as “a fundamental pillar of reconstruction and the first line of defense for Syrian interests.”
In a rare note of criticism toward Moscow, al-Shaibani said that “Russia was a partner of the former regime and participated in the Syrian tragedy.”
Comments