MercoPress. South Atlantic News Agency

Obama administration is “weak” to ensure Middle East peace process

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad concluded this week end a four country visit of Latinamerica

Syrian president Bashar al-Assad wrapping up his Latinamerican tour of four countries, Cuba, Venezuela, Brazil and Argentina described the government of US President Barack Obama as ‘weak’ to ensure a peace process in the Middle East adding he was hopeful of negotiations sponsored by other countries such as Brazil and Turkey.

“When you don’t obtain results, you’re weak. Our experience with the US is that they don’t seem to be able to manage a peace process from the beginning to the end”, said al-Assad in a Sunday interview with Buenos Aires daily Clarin.

The Syrian president praised the recent agreement brokered by Brazil and Turkey for the enrichment of Iranian uranium in Turkish territory, because “it has changed the essential political weight from a few countries in the north such as Europe and the US to others in the world South such as Brazil and Turkey”

“I’m convinced that the Brazilian and Turkish initiative is the beginning of a cooperation relation South-South”, added the Syrian leader who during his visit in Argentina signed with President Cristina Kirchner several agreements on transport, communications, media and culture.

More specifically on the nuclear issue al-Assad said the position of Syria “is to transform the Middle East in a zone free of nuclear weapons” adding that if by any chance an arms race takes off in the area “the nuclear component will become incontrollable”.

“Things will reach a limit and that is the risk, the danger. And if Israel continues to be a nuclear power from a military point of view, unfortunately this race will take off some day”.

Al-Assad also talked about the large and prosperous Syrian community and praised Argentina for its open arms policy towards immigrants and respect for cultural, ethnic, religious, gender diversity, ‘a true land of opportunity’.

During the meeting at Government House, Presidents Cristina Kirchner and al-Assad underlined the importance of building on what has been achieved in the two Arab-South America summits in 2005 and 2009.
President al-Assad expressed appreciation of Argentine support for Arab rights in restoring the occupied territories and establishing the independent Palestinian state, while Mrs. Kirchner thanked Syria's support regarding Argentine claims over the Malvinas Islands sovereignty through dialogue and international law.

The Argentine president also stressed her country's support to achieve a fair and comprehensive peace in the Middle East that includes the return of the occupied Syrian Golan Heights, highlighting the pivotal role of Syria in the peace process and its efforts to bolster security and stability in the Middle East.

Finally both sides asserted the right of all states to possess nuclear energy for peaceful purposes and the need for making the Middle East an area free from nuclear weapons and multilateralism in international negotiations.

The Syrian president al-Assad arrived late Sunday to Madrid where he was received by King Juan Carlos for an official visit.