TURKEY: Syria's former ambassador to Sweden, Mohammad Bassam Imadi, flees to Turkey in move against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad

Record ID: 280096

  • Title: TURKEY: Syria's former ambassador to Sweden, Mohammad Bassam Imadi, flees to Turkey in move against the rule of President Bashar al-Assad
  • Date: 15th December 2011
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (DECEMBER 14, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF SYRIA'S FORMER AMBASSADOR TO SWEDEN, MOHAMMAD BASSAM IMADI (SOUNDBITE) (English) SYRIA'S FORMER AMBASSADOR TO SWEDEN, MOHAMMAD BASSAM IMADI, SAYING: "When you work for a family, it would be very very difficult to have loyalty to any kind of family unless we talk about the mafia, the mobs. So, I would say that mos
  • Embargoed: 30th December 2011 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey, Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: Conflict,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA67IGBHSG1XGVTPJ02Q7FP1CGV
  • Story Text: Syrian dissident and former diplomat, Mohammad Bassam Imadi, said on Wednesday (December 14) other senior officials in the Syrian government would also defect if they could find a way out.
    "When you work for a family, it would be very very difficult to have loyalty to any kind of family unless we talk about the mafia, the mobs. So, I would say that most of the officials in the government are not loyal to the (Assad) family but they had to go on for working for the family, for the government because there is no way out." Imadi said.
    He stressed a buffer zone would give more protections to the civilians fleeing from the bloody unrest.
    "A buffer zone would give more protection to the civilians who would like to fled from those cities where the regime is attacking. Also it would give shelter to the army defectors who refuse to follow orders given by some military leaders to shoot and kill their fellow citizens," he added.
    Syria's former ambassador to Sweden, Imadi, fled to Turkey from Damascus ten days ago to announce an umbrella group that includes the Syrian National Council.
    Imadi says the new group shows the unity of Syrian opposition.
    "I felt that this group will represent the majority of the revolution. Therefore I can say, I can very comfortably say, this new group would in fact obliterate this myth for once and for all. The opposition is united in body and in objectives," he said.
    Assad, has held power in Syria for four decades, and now faces the most serious challenge to his rule from the unrest which erupted in the southern city of Deraa on March 18.
    A violent security crackdown failed to halt the unrest, inspired by popular uprisings in Tunisia, Egypt, Yemen and Libya, which has turned bloodier in recent months.
    The United Nations says the crackdown has killed 5,000 people. The authorities, who blame "armed terrorist gangs" for the violence, say 1,100 army and police have been killed.
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