Asad: Shaking Syria would destabilize whole region

Syria is like the meeting point of tectonic plates, and any western aggression on the country would mean a huge earthquake that would rattle the whole region and too dear a cost for the world to bear, Al-Assad said in interview published Monday. The Syrian president was speaking to Russia's state-run Channel One television, and he stressed contemplating an attack on Syria is no easy matter. "Syria is the meeting place of the bulk of the Middle East's cultural, religious, sectarian, and ethnic components. Any unsettling of the balance would destabilize the whole region." As for Russia's support to his country, the president recalled the recent VETO at the Security Council and said it was an act by Russia to protect international stability, not only Syria. He added there is constant contact and coordination between Damascus and Moscow. In reference to the instability in his country for months so far, the president termed what goes on "terrorist operations." He said his regime is open to dialogue with those of opposing opinions. However, he remarked there is no such front with the backing of the whole Syrian people to sit down with to settle differences on internal matters. Specifically mentioning the recently established national Syrian council in Istanbul, he claimed there is no proof it represents the people and has legitimacy. The president further said there is the possibility the council is set up to serve "foreign parties' interests." The way to settle differences, he maintained, is through holding elections, probably to be held in February. On sanctions, Al-Assad said there was no time during which Syria was not subject to one form of sanctions or another, be it technical, economic, or technological. These sanctions, he said, harm the people, not the state. The country has a policy adopted in 2005 aimed at handling such pressure through bolstering relations with "the east". Furthermore, Syria has food and industrial production, and has relations with countries producing its other needs. "We shall be able to overcome the worst of sanctions," he said. He went on to say that with the change in balance of powers on the global scene and with the rising economies in Asia, "it is hardly that all doors are closed before us. We have relations with most countries of the world and we shall utilize them." Al-Assad was asked whether he sees an attempt to repeat the Libyan scenario. To this he said any such attempt would involve too dear a price to pay for any who risk it, and is therefore unfeasible in Syria. The president challenged the opinion that there is a legitimate peaceful public revolt against his regime. "Hundreds from our army, police, and security bodies lie dead; were they killed by 'peaceful' protestors? Did 'chants and slogans' kill them, or actual weapons?" Over the past two months, he said, focus was steered to media content addressed to the outside world. "The media machine is usually exploited by the west in keeping with its agendas in the region," he claimed. Syria is now trying to bring media representatives in to "see the truth." The Syrian president said the authorities managed to gather information on the weapons used by the rebels in terms of type, quantity, and source and funding involved. "We have information on specific individuals smuggling the weapons across our borders from more than one country." "We cannot say the information suggests the financing is received from 'countries' or 'regimes' as yet. Once we have more accurate and clear data, we shall not hesitate to expose all," he stressed.