SYRIA: The regime of President Bashar al-Assad's will not be overthrown so long as it affects Russian and Chinese interests in the region, say MP Khaled al-Aboud

Record ID: 280183

  • Title: SYRIA: The regime of President Bashar al-Assad's will not be overthrown so long as it affects Russian and Chinese interests in the region, say MP Khaled al-Aboud
  • Date: 3rd February 2012
  • Summary: DAMASCUS, SYRIA (FILE) (REUTERS) CARS SABA' BAHRAT SQUARE WITH A BIG PICTURE OF ASSAD
  • Embargoed: 18th February 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Syrian Arab Republic
  • Country: Syria
  • Topics: Conflict,Domestic Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAC2V8OQTCC4CR2CFFR48HIZ0AM
  • Story Text: A Syrian lawmaker on Thursday (February 2) said there was no way the regime of President Bashar al-Assad would be overthrown if political changes pose a threat to the interests of Russia and China.
    Speaking to a reporter in the capital Damascus, Khaled al-Abboud said anti-government protests were not spontaneous outpourings of grievance, but rather political manipulation by other countries to their own benefit.
    As discussions in the United Nations Security Council continued, al-Abboud said Russia and China -- both members of the body -- would never allow Assad's regime to succumb to what he said were outside forces meddling in Syrian affairs.
    "Overthrowing the regime in Syria cannot happen so long as the aim is to end Syria's position in the region and the role Syria has played in the region for dozens of years, as this will harm Russia's and China's interests in the region and they will not let this happen," he said.
    Russia said on Wednesday (February 1) it would veto any U.N. resolution on Syria it finds unacceptable, after demanding any measure rule out military intervention to halt the bloodshed touched off by protests against Assad's rule.
    Abboud suggested this was an entirely predictable and reasonable reaction.
    "I think that a critical part of this confrontation which is happening in the region took place at the Security Council, and I think it will happen again in the Security Council. I think that this political bickering is a real reflection of this confrontation. But the goal of this confrontation is not to defend values or demand rights, it centres on interests. I hope that everybody understand this," he said.
    Meanwhile on Thursday, Jordanian Foreign Minister Nasser Judeh said Jordan had withdrawn its monitors from the Arab League mission to Syria, saying the decision was taken several days ago when the work of the monitors was suspended.
    The Arab League said on Saturday (January 28) it had suspended its mission in Syria due to rising violence, but has yet to formally declare the mission over.
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