Al-Miqdad to Asharq Al-Awsat: Syria Seeks Integration with Saudi Arabia

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Al-Miqdad attends the Jeddah meetings. (SPA - Reuters)
Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Al-Miqdad attends the Jeddah meetings. (SPA - Reuters)
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Al-Miqdad to Asharq Al-Awsat: Syria Seeks Integration with Saudi Arabia

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Al-Miqdad attends the Jeddah meetings. (SPA - Reuters)
Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Al-Miqdad attends the Jeddah meetings. (SPA - Reuters)

Faisal Al-Miqdad, the Syrian foreign minister, said that his country has made hundreds of steps with regard to what is required of it, but did not receive any initiative from the other parties, calling for the need to show good intentions and stop starving the Syrian people, as he put it.

Speaking on the sidelines of the second ministerial meeting of the Arab League countries and the nations of the Pacific Islands, held in Riyadh, Al-Miqdad saluted the effective role of Saudi Arabia, led by King Salman bin Abdulaziz and Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman, to strengthen intra-Arab relations and cooperation with influential countries around the world.

In response to a question by Asharq Al-Awsat about the outcome of the recent Arab summit held in Jeddah, and the “step-by-step” policy, the minister said: “The results of the summit were good and accurate, with regard to us in Syria. I assure you that we have walked hundreds of steps, for which we have not received any step from the other parties.”

He continued: “Therefore, the other parties are now required to show good intentions, to stop supporting terrorism and starving the Syrian people and children, and (instead) contribute to the new renaissance of the Syrian people.”

Explaining by what he means with “other parties”, Al-Miqdad said they are the parties “behind terrorism, the killings, sedition, the division and fragmentation”, of Syria.

The Syrian foreign minister talked about ten difficult years witnessed in the Arab nation. He stressed that the problem was not only in Syria, but also in Libya, Somalia and Sudan, underlining the need for cooperation “to face these challenges.”

He expressed Syria’s readiness to cooperate with Saudi Arabia in all fields.

“We are happy to be in Saudi Arabia. There are very large activities... including the Arab-Chinese Forum and the meeting of the nations of the Pacific Islands. We salute this effective role of the Kingdom, and the goals set by the Saudi leadership to strengthen intra-Arab relations and bilateral Arab relations with influential countries in the world,” he said, adding that “we are ready to cooperate in various fields.”

The Syrian foreign minister revealed that Syria and Saudi Arabia were now discussing the names of their new ambassadors, who “must ensure the growth of Syrian-Saudi relations to reach the stage of integration in all Arab and foreign policies.”

 



Lebanese Judge Questions Former Top Security Chiefs over Beirut Port Blast

FILE - In this Aug. 5, 2020 file photo, a drone picture shows the destruction after an explosion at the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)
FILE - In this Aug. 5, 2020 file photo, a drone picture shows the destruction after an explosion at the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)
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Lebanese Judge Questions Former Top Security Chiefs over Beirut Port Blast

FILE - In this Aug. 5, 2020 file photo, a drone picture shows the destruction after an explosion at the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)
FILE - In this Aug. 5, 2020 file photo, a drone picture shows the destruction after an explosion at the seaport of Beirut, Lebanon. (AP Photo/Hussein Malla, File)

The Lebanese judge investigating the massive 2020 Beirut port explosion questioned two former security chiefs on Friday, including a former head of the General Security Directorate who appeared in court for the first time since being summoned nearly four years ago, according to four judicial and two security officials.
The officials spoke on condition of anonymity because they were not authorized to brief the media. The hearings mark a rare breakthrough in the long-stalled probe, The Associated Press said.
Maj. Gen. Abbas Ibrahim and former head of State Security Maj. Gen. Tony Saliba, are among several officials charged in connection with the blast that killed over 220 people. The specific charges have not been disclosed.​
Ibrahim appeared in court for the first time, where Judge Tarek Bitar questioned him about the operations of the General Security Directorate during his tenure and requested related documents, which Ibrahim’s lawyer is expected to submit next week.
Ibrahim, who headed the General Security Directorate between 2011 and 2023, is known for wide connections with local, regional and international figures, including the Iran-backed militant Hezbollah group, the Syrian government and Western nations, making him a key political mediator.
Ibrahim’s attorneys said in a statement that the former General Security chief appeared in court despite having previously filed a legal challenge against Judge Bitar and despite claiming that he was immune from prosecution.
His attorneys said he appeared as a “mark of respect for the families of the martyrs and victims, his belief in justice and truth, and his commitment to upholding legal procedures and the course of justice.”
Saliba, appearing in court for the fourth time, cooperated with the hearing, providing documentation pertaining to his role at State Security. After the hearing, Saliba described the proceedings as “positive" in a statement.
On Aug. 4, 2020, hundreds of tons of ammonium nitrate detonated in a Beirut Port warehouse, killing at least 218 people, injuring more than 6,000 and devastating large swaths of the capital. The blast, one of the largest non-nuclear explosions in history, caused billions of dollars in damage and sent shockwaves through the nation’s capital.
Following years of political obstruction, Bitar resumed the stalled investigation in mid-January, questioning port and customs employees, retired military officials, the former head of port security, the former army intelligence director, and 12 witnesses.
This development coincides with significant political changes in Lebanon, including the election of Joseph Aoun as president and the appointment of Nawaf Salam as prime minister. Both are perceived as outside the traditional political establishment, which includes many figures charged in the port explosion case.​
Several officials implicated in the investigation have accused Bitar of bias, refused to testify, and filed legal complaints against him.
Next week, Bitar is expected to question top former political leaders. Former Prime Minister Hassan Diab, who was in office at the time of the port explosion and is among those charged by Bitar, is scheduled to appear in court in May. His hearing will be followed by the questioning of four judges.
Meanwhile, a French delegation is expected to submit their findings from their investigation into the explosion later in April. France initiated its own probe into the explosion in 2020 after three French nationals were killed in the blast. However, French judges have faced obstacles accessing documents from the Lebanese investigation, which has been hindered by political interference.