Saturday, January 21, 2006 - 05:05 PM

President Bashar al-Assad expressed high appreciation Saturday over the sincere efforts of the Arab lawyers in advocating the right and defending the Arab nation’s causes.

In his address at opening session of the Arab Bar Association Conference which is being held in Damascus, He lauded the Arab lawyers solidarity with Syria in the face of dangers surrounding her.

President al-Assad stressed that the stage through which the Arab nation is passing requires high sense of affiliation and readiness for giving and honest work in addition to clarity of vision and direction.

“The current events and circumstances have been the results of the past decades but have intensified in recent years and the Arab nation is paying a high price for strange projects and settling the debts of others on its land from the blood of its sons and their stability” Al-Assad said,

President al-Assad indicated in his address that all roads have been blocked before the Middle East peace process not only because of the Israeli governments rejection to respond to peace requirements and continuous denial of the Arab rights, but the current international situation and influential forces are not ready also to push the peace process forward, in addition to non commitment of the international community to meet its requirements regarding the peace process and stability in the region.

The President has stressed that the Iraqi issue is a political, pan-Arab and moral earthquake to the Arab Nation and has created a new reality in the Middle East, the tragic features of which have begun to surface on the structure of its societies, and to shake the conventions and national and pan-Arab affiliation.

“ The Phenomenon of terrorism has begun to expand threatening to sabotage the national and social texture of the countries in the region due to wrong international and regional pre-mediated stances regarding the Arab Nation,” al-Assad said, pointing out that terrorism phenomenon is being used as a tool by some forces that allege combating terrorism in order to terrorize the others.

President al-Assad said that the current developments in Lebanon seem to be an outcome of the new international situation starting from the issuance of resolutions 1559 and ending at the assassination of Premier Hariri and the formation of the international investigation commission and what has followed of new international resolutions targeting Syria and her stances.

“Targeting Syria and Lebanon is a part of an integrated project to blow up the identity of the region in order to reshape it under new titles to meet the Israeli aspirations to impose its hegemony on the region and on its resources,” The president added.

“ Syria has been in the heart of the event not because of its geographic location or because of her political, social and human link to the main conflict areas but because of her role, history and position,” the President pointed out.

President Al-Assad underlined that Syria has been crystal-clear regarding the investigation of Premier Hariri’s assassination, stressing Syria’s cooperation with the investigation until the doers are known, and Syria will continue cooperating currently and in the future with the investigation for reaching the truth on the basis of sovereignty and national interests.

In his address, The president added: “ Syria’s interest meets with investigation interest when the investigation is honest but if there is somebody who thinks that politicizing the investigation and diverting it from its natural course can push Syria to do what they want, he will be wrong and wasting time and an opportunity to establish stability in the region and consequently he will be affected negatively,”

“ All attempts will not succeed in preventing Syria from extending support in all that is connected with Lebanon’s independence and rejection of foreign intervention and to ensure honorable future for its citizens.” Al-Assad said.

The President went on to say that Syria would remain Lebanon’s big brother who stands by Lebanon, the patriot, whenever need arises.

He indicated that there is nothing to be concerned of regarding the Syrian-Lebanese relations because, in spite of the many wounds, there are in Lebanon those who work to make the wounds heal and there are in Syria those who work to make the wounds heal, on the one hand. On the other hand there is also nothing to be concerned of regarding relation among the Lebanese as has been depicted by some people in the media in spite of the presence of many gaps, thanks to the consciousness of the Lebanese people who are fully aware of the volume of the conspiracy and understanding of the canned sedition.

Regarding Shebaa Farms, the President underscored that there is no problem between Syria and Lebanon regarding Shebaa Farms.

“If we ask who is the biggest beneficiary of demarcation at Shebaa Farms and who is the most harmed while under the Israeli occupation, it is pure Israeli demand and fully against the resistance. The demarcation causes harm to the resistance and serves good to Israel,” He added.

He went on to say: “ For that reason they refused to begin demarcation of the border from the north and wanted to start demarcation from Shebaa Farms,”

President al-Assad has underlined that Syria has announced its desire for the establishment of just and comprehensive peace on the basis of UN resolutions and on the basis of these resolutions Syria has committed herself to the Arab peace Initiative of the Arab summit of Beirut which has ceased to be mentioned now . The President indicated that the initiative is calling Israel for peace , stressing the readiness of Arabs for peace, but Israel has ignored all this and resorted to perpetration of massacres and assassinations against the Palestinian people in the light of unlimited support of the United States and complete silence of the international powers.

“ Some people have tried to depict Syria’s stances in facing the challenges in this stage as if it is a show down with the international community and this is untrue and unreal,” the president emphasized.

He added: “ We are working to consolidate our relations with all and to build bridges with all countries of the world although we are aware of the volume of pressures to which some may have been exposed,”

He indicated that some people have tried to show Syria as a weak country because she has not been dragged to their arenas, and sending messages to the rest of the Arab countries that complete bowing is the way to survival and viability.

“ We, in Syria, are used to such campaigns for many decades and Syria understands their backgrounds fully, and so they strengthen us further instead of shaking us, because we are aware that the attack against Syria is an attack on any policy which is committed to independence and sovereignty and Syria will remain committed to independence and sovereignty,” Al-Assad said.

Regarding the reform program al-Assad underlined commitment to the reform program on all levels, pointing out to the final touches which are being put on the 10th five-year plan which he described as an ambitious plan for economic, financial, monetary and administrative reform which aims at developing services and improving the living conditions of the citizens.

On the political level, the President added that a number of projects are being drawn to support popular participation and contribute to enrich democratic life through what is connected with parties and elections, and local administration laws.

He indicated that work is being done to consolidate the institutional work, the supremacy of law , and independency of the judicial authority.

The President said: “ Reform begins where internal need arises and we categorically reject any reform that is imposed from abroad,” He added: “ I have always said that we are in the beginning of a long road and we do not accept to hear that we have accomplished nothing so far… There might be a slow pace…at the heart of the battle things become slower but we will hurry as far as we can.”