Syrian Arab News Agency S A N A
Damascus, SANA – Information Minister Omran al-Zoubi stressed on Sunday that the sovereign option of the Syrian people is not negotiable or debatable be it with the friends, brothers, opponents or enemies.
“What the Syrians decide is what will be,” said al-Zoubi, addressing the 1st foundation meeting of the Trust of Damascus International Network “Mediamen against Terrorism” with the participation of Arab, regional and international countries.
The meeting was held to follow up the International Media Conference against Terrorism that was held last July in Damascus and saw the participation of 130 Arab, regional and international figures.
The Syrian people, armed with their patriotic spirit, have been able to confront the unfair terrorist war against them which targets the state’s entity as part of a western project aimed at remapping the region, the Information Minister said.
He made it clear that Syria has always believed, particularly during the current war, that political tracks are necessary to push for solutions, a belief he said is “the logic of a master and not of a follower”.
Such tracks and their outcomes, he added, should respect the national sovereignty, mainly the territory and the sovereign option of the Syrians in determining the nature of the political system to govern them.
While he condemned Paris terrorist attacks, al-Zoubi reminded of Syria’s warning from the very beginning of the terrorist war against it that terrorism would eventually backfire on its supporters.
He hailed the efforts made by Russia and Iran and the Lebanese and Palestinian resistance and the political and diplomatic effort put at Vienna to the effect of solving the crisis in Syria.
Explaining the objective of today’s meeting al-Zoubi said the “Mediamen against Terrorism Network” has now had an interim secretariat after July conference and is holding this meeting to set up a statute.
He noted that the network has also established a website and a database of journalists from around the world, adding that all journalists who belive that terrorism must be combated will be invited to join.
Assistant Secretary General of the Popular Front for the Liberation of Palestine- General Command Talal Naji delivered a speech at the meeting in which he said that media is a “dangerous weapon” in that while it may play a significant role in achieving victory and shaping the public opinion, it can also by contrast be a reason for defeat and distortion of facts.
For his part, Head of the Supreme Council of Islamic Radios & Televisions Union (IRTVU) Abdullah al-Qasir called on the journalists to adhere and show commitment to the culture of resistance in the fight against terrorism so that they can be real and faithful partners to the fighters who are making sacrifices on the ground.
Later in the evening, al-Zoubi met with members of the Network at Sheraton Hotel in Damascus and discussed the work document which resulted from the meeting, exchanging viewpoints on the directive, framework, goals, methods, and tools of the Network and proposing amendments that will be presented at a meeting on Monday morning.
Damascus International Network is a media network functioning to expose the terrorist acts in the region and the world. It works on establishing an international media observatory of journalists, intellectuals and writers who believe in peace to work on forging the necessary means to face Takfiri terrorism.
H.Said
