Syria’s president has blamed “outside forces” for orchestrating the conflict in his country in a rare public address to the nation.
He said the conflict was not between the state and opposition, but the “nation and its enemies”.
“We are now in a state of war in every sense of the word.
This conspiracy is spreading all over Syria.
We meet today and suffering is overwhelming Syrian land. There is no place for joy in any corner of the country in the absence of security and stability
I look at the eyes of Syria’s children and I don’t see any happiness. …
At every corner of the Syrian homeland. Children have been orphaned. …
There is a dark cloud over this country.”
The Syrian president underscored the atrocities committed against an entire nation.
Despite the suffering there is hope. There are solutions.
The Syrian president calls for the formation of a national movement.
“The Homeland is for all.
The conflict is between the Homeland and its enemies.
This war targets Syria using a handful of Syrians and many foreigners. Thus, this is a war to defend the nation.
There are those who seek to partition Syria and weaken it. But Syria is stronger… and will remain sovereign… and this is what upsets the West.
The first part of a political solution would require regional powers to stop funding and arming [the rebels], an end to terrorism and controlling the borders.
We never rejected a political solution … but with whom should we talk? With those who have extremist ideology who only understand the language of terrorism?
Or should we negotiate with puppets whom the West brought? … We negotiate with the master not with the slave.
Is this a revolution and are these revolutionaries? By God, I say they are a bunch of criminals.
