[h=3]By JOE LAURIA[/h]UNITED NATIONS—Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Moallem blasted regional and international powers for interfering in Syria by supporting "armed terrorist groups," and he called on hundreds of thousands of Syrian refugees to return home from "inhumane conditions" in countries he said were plotting against Damascus.
Speaking to the annual meeting of the General Assembly, Mr. Moallem accused "some well-known countries" of pursing "new colonial policies based on political hypocrisy."
APWalid Moallem, Foreign Minister of Syria, addresses the 67th session of the U.N. General Assembly Monday.
In a clear reference to his own country, he said that "under the pretext of humanitarian intervention these countries interfere in the domestic affairs of states, and impose unilateral economic sanctions that lack the moral and legal basis." The call for humanitarian intervention, he said, means the "drums of war are beaten, and sedition and unrest are spreading and damaging the structure of national societies."
Citing a terrorist bombing on Sept. 26 in Damascus, which he said was claimed by an arm of al Qaeda, Mr. Moallem said it was "no surprise" the Security Council failed to condemn it and other bombings in Syria "because some of its members are supporting such acts."
Mr. Moallem named Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the U.S., Turkey, France and Libya. "Those states either turn a blind eye to the activities of terrorist groups crossing their borders, or provide active material and logistical support from their territory for armed terrorist groups…who enter the country, to carry out terrorist acts under the name of jihad in collaboration with terrorists from the inside," he said.
The U.S. said it is providing $45 million in nonlethal aid to unarmed opposition groups to facilitate their communications networks in the cause of documenting human-rights abuses. A French official told reporters that France isn't arming rebels.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar haven't responded to continuing Syrian charges that they are providing weapons to the opposition, but Saudi and Qatar officials have said publicly that they should be armed.
Last week the Emir of Qatar called in the General Assembly for Arab armies to intervene in Syria to stop the killing, as an Arab army had during the Lebanese civil war of 1975 to 1990. Ironically, that army, asked by the Arab League to intervene, was Syria's.
Mr. Moallem also accused his foreign enemies of fabricating a refugee crisis by intimidating Syrian civilians in border areas to flee the country. "There, they are either accommodated in military training camps, or in what resembles places of detention, amid arid or rugged regions, and exploit their plight to get aid spent mostly on goals that have no relevance to humanitarian objectives," he said.
Fires and riots have recently broken out in the Zaatari camp inside Jordan. The Syrian government has stepped up calls to reverse the flow of refugees, perhaps fearing their growing numbers could spur international intervention.
Mr. Moallem asked whether outside interference wasn't a "practical interpretation of the concept of 'creative chaos,' " which he said "contributes to strengthen Western hegemony on Mediterranean countries, and serve the expansionist interests of Israel."
On relations with Israel, the foreign minister said the civil war in Syria hadn't distracted Damascus from its demand that the Golan Heights be returned.
"The Syrian Arab Republic confirms its adherence to her natural right to restore the full occupied Syrian Golan up to the line of June 6th, 1967."
Mr. Moallem also blasted European and U.S. economic sanctions on Syria, asking, "How can imposing sanctions on the banking, health and transport sectors be consistent with caring for the best interest of the Syrians?"
Earlier on Monday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon criticized the Syrian government and expressed frustration that the conflict was worsening.
Mr. Ban, in a meeting with Mr. Moallem, "raised in the strongest terms the continued killings, massive destruction, human-rights abuses, and aerial and artillery attacks committed by the government," his spokesman said.
Write to Joe Lauria at [email protected]
Speaking to the annual meeting of the General Assembly, Mr. Moallem accused "some well-known countries" of pursing "new colonial policies based on political hypocrisy."
APWalid Moallem, Foreign Minister of Syria, addresses the 67th session of the U.N. General Assembly Monday.
In a clear reference to his own country, he said that "under the pretext of humanitarian intervention these countries interfere in the domestic affairs of states, and impose unilateral economic sanctions that lack the moral and legal basis." The call for humanitarian intervention, he said, means the "drums of war are beaten, and sedition and unrest are spreading and damaging the structure of national societies."
Citing a terrorist bombing on Sept. 26 in Damascus, which he said was claimed by an arm of al Qaeda, Mr. Moallem said it was "no surprise" the Security Council failed to condemn it and other bombings in Syria "because some of its members are supporting such acts."
Mr. Moallem named Saudi Arabia, Qatar, the U.S., Turkey, France and Libya. "Those states either turn a blind eye to the activities of terrorist groups crossing their borders, or provide active material and logistical support from their territory for armed terrorist groups…who enter the country, to carry out terrorist acts under the name of jihad in collaboration with terrorists from the inside," he said.
The U.S. said it is providing $45 million in nonlethal aid to unarmed opposition groups to facilitate their communications networks in the cause of documenting human-rights abuses. A French official told reporters that France isn't arming rebels.
Saudi Arabia and Qatar haven't responded to continuing Syrian charges that they are providing weapons to the opposition, but Saudi and Qatar officials have said publicly that they should be armed.
Last week the Emir of Qatar called in the General Assembly for Arab armies to intervene in Syria to stop the killing, as an Arab army had during the Lebanese civil war of 1975 to 1990. Ironically, that army, asked by the Arab League to intervene, was Syria's.
Mr. Moallem also accused his foreign enemies of fabricating a refugee crisis by intimidating Syrian civilians in border areas to flee the country. "There, they are either accommodated in military training camps, or in what resembles places of detention, amid arid or rugged regions, and exploit their plight to get aid spent mostly on goals that have no relevance to humanitarian objectives," he said.
Fires and riots have recently broken out in the Zaatari camp inside Jordan. The Syrian government has stepped up calls to reverse the flow of refugees, perhaps fearing their growing numbers could spur international intervention.
Mr. Moallem asked whether outside interference wasn't a "practical interpretation of the concept of 'creative chaos,' " which he said "contributes to strengthen Western hegemony on Mediterranean countries, and serve the expansionist interests of Israel."
On relations with Israel, the foreign minister said the civil war in Syria hadn't distracted Damascus from its demand that the Golan Heights be returned.
"The Syrian Arab Republic confirms its adherence to her natural right to restore the full occupied Syrian Golan up to the line of June 6th, 1967."
Mr. Moallem also blasted European and U.S. economic sanctions on Syria, asking, "How can imposing sanctions on the banking, health and transport sectors be consistent with caring for the best interest of the Syrians?"
Earlier on Monday, U.N. Secretary-General Ban Ki-moon criticized the Syrian government and expressed frustration that the conflict was worsening.
Mr. Ban, in a meeting with Mr. Moallem, "raised in the strongest terms the continued killings, massive destruction, human-rights abuses, and aerial and artillery attacks committed by the government," his spokesman said.
Write to Joe Lauria at [email protected]