Ahmadinejad: Syria able to solve its problems on its own

Iranian President Mahmoud Ahmadinejad said that Syria is able to solve its problems on its own without any foreign interference in its internal affairs, noting that external interferences are not in the interest of the Syrian people, nor are they in the interest of any of the peoples in the region. President Ahmadinejad's remark came during his meeting with Syrian Speaker of the People's Assembly on Sunday evening held on the sidelines of the 5th International Conference in Support of the Palestinian Intifada in Tehran, the Iranian capital. "The Syrian people are educated and reasonable and don't need the others to lecture them about democracy," said the Iranian President, stressing that democracy can only be achieved in the framework of dialogue and internal accord. He warned against the enemies' efforts to impose their hegemony on the peoples and the countries of the region and exert economic pressures on them, adding "the enemies want to invade the region…and the NATO invasion does not bring freedom or democracy." President Ahmadinejad expressed Iran's desire for the people in Syria and the peoples all over the world to live in peace and prosperity, highlighting the importance of enhancing bilateral relations between Syria and Iran, particularly in the economic fields. For his part, Speaker al-Abrash reiterated Syria's determination to carry out reforms to achieve development up to the Syrian people's aspirations for a better future, underscoring the importance of boosting relations with Iran.