SYRIA: Country offers the U.S. State Department a lesson in diplomacy following its dismissal of President Bashar al-Assad's words in an interview where he disputed that he is responsible for the violence engulfing his country

Record ID: 280083

  • Title: SYRIA: Country offers the U.S. State Department a lesson in diplomacy following its dismissal of President Bashar al-Assad's words in an interview where he disputed that he is responsible for the violence engulfing his country
  • Date: 8th December 2011
  • Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (DECEMBER 7, 2011) (REUTERS) SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, JIHAD MAKDISSI, ARRIVING CAMERAS JIHAD MAKDISSI, SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN SPEAKING (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) JIHAD MAKDISSI, SYRIAN FOREIGN MINISTRY SPOKESMAN, SAYING: "The president is constitutionally responsible for his responsibilities as president. I wish the spokesman (of the U.S
  • Embargoed: 23rd December 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Conflict,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA7F6I0C3YASZFNN81A457HN9RD
  • Story Text: Syria on Wednesday (December 7) offered to give a U.S. State Department spokesman lessons in diplomacy after comments he made about Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's interview with ABC U.S. television.
    Jihad Makdissi from the Syrian Foreign Ministry called on Mark Toner to be more accurate and professional.
    "The president is constitutionally responsible for his responsibilities as president. I wish the spokesman (of the U.S. State Department) would be more accurate, and remain professional, without trying to score meaningless points. If the spokesman would like, we have an institute for diplomacy and we have guidelines on professional conduct, which we could happily send him through the diplomatic postal service," he said.
    Toner told reporters at a State Department briefing on Tuesday (December 6) that he found Assad's responses "ludicrous that he is attempting to hide behind some sort of shell game, but also some sort of claim that he doesn't exercise authority in his own country".
    "There's just no indication that he's doing anything other than cracking down in the most brutal fashion on a peaceful opposition movement," Toner had said.
    Assad has denied ordering his troops to kill peaceful demonstrators, telling ABC that only a "crazy" leader kills his own people.
    Makdissi said Syria welcomed the return of the U.S. ambassador to Syria.
    "We hope that the return of the ambassadors, through a decision by their countries, aims to improve relations and respect Syria's sovereignty. If this is case, then we welcome them and wish them good luck."
    The U.S. ambassador to Syria returned to Damascus on Tuesday, six weeks after he was withdrawn because of threats to his safety.
    Assad is under growing international pressure, including a threat of sanctions from the Arab League, over a crackdown on nationwide anti-government protests in which, the United Nations says, more than 4,000 people have been killed.
    Last month the Arab League announced unprecedented economic sanctions against Damascus for failing to halt the violence and agree to its initiative, but it has extended the deadline for signing the agreement several times since then.
    Makdissi said Syria was still waiting for the League's reply.
    "Until now there is no official reply from the Secretary General and we are still waiting for the white smoke from the Arab League", he said.
    Syrian activists say around a quarter of the more than 4,500 deaths they have recorded in nine months of protest have been among the security forces. Most foreign media have been excluded from Syria, making it hard to verify events independently.
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