Damascus is hoping this month-end’s >BRICS ’ (Brazil, Russia, India, China and South Africa) summit in Durban would be able to come out with an initiative to ending the violence in Syria.
“There are the BRICS countries who are at least introducing reason into what is happening in the international community,” Bouthaina Shaaban, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s Special Envoy told newspersons here on Friday.
Commending the stand taken by the BRICS of seeking an end to violence in Syria, Ms. Shaaban wanted the BRICS summit to “make a very strong decision in the forthcoming meeting and support a political solution in Syria.”
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Mr. Assad’s Special Envoy criticised the western countries for supporting the rebels, but was more accusatory about the attitude of some Arab countries. “We feel now that Qatar and Turkey are the spearheads of war against our country. I can’t go into detail but I think Turkey wanted Muslim Brothers to take the political lead.”
Ms. Shaaban ruled out abdication by Mr. Assad and said on the contrary, his presence was necessary to “save the country” and wondered how “how they can get this idea sitting in Paris or London that they can ask the President of a sovereign country to step down in this manner.”
“I think we have to be very clear. Those who started this war want the destruction of Syria, what we and the BRICS countries want is to save Syria and to save the Syrian people,” she said.
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Ms. Shaaban is travelling to all BRICS countries to explain Damascus’ position and in this context, she met External Affairs Minster Salman Khurshid and National Security Advisor Shiv Shankar Menon. She felt the Indian response had been positive and appreciated its stand of calling on both parties in the conflict to step back from violence.