Only Syrian nation is to decide about Syria: UN envoy

Syria’s ambassador to the United Nations (UN) says only the Syrian people have the right to decide the fate of their country, Press TV reports.

Bashar Ja’afari told Press TV on Monday that no one except the Syrians themselves can decide who will lead Syria.

The remarks came as a number of Western countries have recently modified their long-held position that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad must cede power before a solution can be worked out to the crisis in Syria.

Several world leaders addressing the 70th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA) admitted that the Takfiri Daesh terrorists in Syria are a major global threat and must be eliminated.

Referring to such remarks, Ja’afari, the Syrian envoy, said major world players have technically “acknowledged the necessity to combat terrorism.”

“The difference is that some leaders, including the American president and some others, are speaking theoretically about combating terrorism, while other leaders such as [Iranian] President [Hassan] Rouhani and [Russian President Vladimir] Putin have already offered a full selection of initiatives on combating terrorism,” Jafa’ari said.

Iran and Russia have highlighted the necessity to include the Syrian government of President Assad in dialogue aimed at ending the crisis in Syria.

While Rouhani called on leaders to form a united front against terrorism, Putin also expressed urgency to acknowledge the fact that “no one but President Assad’s armed forces and Kurd militia are truly fighting” Daesh terrorists.

During his UNGA speech, UK Prime Minister David Cameron said Assad’s government could be part of a solution to the country’s crisis, but added that he should not remain in power in the long run. Germany and Australia voiced similar views.

However, French President Francois Hollande said a political transition excluding the Syrian leader should take place in the Arab country.

Ja’afari said, “The Syrian people [will] decide for their own leader. It is not the USA; not France; it is not Saudi Arabia; it is not Turkey; it is not Jordan; it is not Israel; it is not Qatar [who decides for them]. Only the Syrian people decide who should be their ruler,” the Syrian envoy said.

Syria has been gripped by deadly violence since 2011.  According to the UN, more than 250,000 people have been killed in the conflict and thousands of others have been displaced.

‘Violating Syria’s right to self-determination’

During an interview with Press TV, political commentator Randy Short accused the US, Israel, and some of their allies of violating Syria’s right to “self determination and national sovereignty,” which have been the “foundation of international law and diplomacy.”

“Many nations of the world are guilty of violating principles established during the Nuremberg trials,” Short said, referring to a series of 13 trials over World War II war crimes, which were carried out between 1945 and 1948.

“In addition to that, it means that the heads of states, the presidents, the parliaments, the intelligence agencies and other parties are guilty of war crimes against Syria, which has lost 230,000 to 250,000 people,” he said. 

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