Brahimi meets Assad, warns Syrian crisis threatens entire region

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After meeting President Bashar Assad on Saturday (September 15th), UN-Arab League peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi warned that the worsening conflict in Syria poses a threat to the region and the world at large.

"The crisis is dangerous and getting worse and it is a threat to the Syrian people, the region and the world," said Brahimi, who took over as envoy earlier this month from former UN chief Kofi Annan.

"We will make a great effort to make progress, and do our best [...] to help the Syrian people," he said. Brahimi didn't give any specifics on how he hopes to breathe life into stalled peace efforts, 18 months into Syria's deadly conflict.

During the meeting with Brahimi, Assad called for dialogue between Syrians, state television reported.

"The real problem in Syria is that of combining politics with the work being done on the ground," said Assad. "The political work continues, in particular by calling for dialogue between Syrians based on the aspirations of all Syrians."

Assad said his government would "co-operate with all sincere efforts to solve the crisis, so long as the efforts are neutral and independent."

Brahimi has also held talks with Foreign Minister Walid Muallem and members of the officially tolerated opposition since he arrived in the Syrian capital on Thursday.

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    محى الدين خالد

    2012-9-17

    No one denies the fact that Syria is currently witnessing great crises and heinous crimes carried out by the tyrant Bashar al-Assad, who only resorts to violence, repression and terrorism. He does not know leniency or pity when treating his people. He is like the other rulers. At first, God elevated them, then lowered them. He is not less strong than Mubarak, the former Egyptian President, who was overthrown by his own people and then ended in prison. His fate is like Gaddafi who spread corruption in his country and, his end was at the hands of his own people too, as they killed him. The day will come when Syrians will recover all their rights from Bashar. We see his heinous crimes consisting in killing the innocent Syrian children, killing mothers, men, youth and the elderly. How could these unarmed people be killed while the regime is armed to the teeth with the most sophisticated lethal weapons? They do not know that Almighty God will take revenge on them and avenge the martyrs who are powerless and helpless. May God help you Syria. We witness many crimes of raping women. The Syrian people were obliged to flee to neighboring countries. They will not be safe from the crimes of the human wolves there. The scenes of crimes on TV and the internet are enough. What about the real things that the cameras do not want to show us? It is not out of fear of Bashar but due to the brutality of these scenes which break our hearts. I pray Allah to rid Syria of its ordeal.

  • akel aman

    2012-9-16

    What is happening in Syria is a service to Israel instead of the direct war with Arab hands and the destruction of the infrastructure completely. Syria failed in playing its regional role just like Iraq.

  • محمد عبد اللطيف

    2012-9-16

    The Arab silence towards the solution to the Syrian problem and the killing of the Syrians at the hands of the tyrant and corrupt oppressor Bashaar continues. He insists upon fighting for his own personal interests against the Syrian people. The Arab governments must cut all relations with him so as not to make us feel more ashamed. The Syrian revolution must be supported and must be provided with all it needs. The Syrian refugees must be welcomed. They need security and safety, and they need us to become one nation. Thus, the Arab governments have to work for the comfort of the Syrian refugees and welcome them until they return home safe and victorious.

  • شفيق احمد عيسى

    2012-9-16

    The Arabs are watching Syria but none of them moves to help. We do not know what is going on in Sinai, but thanks to God, to the Egyptian Security Forces, the police, and the army, who try to rid Sinai of these gangs and terrorist organizations. What is happening in southern Yemen, in Iraq, and other countries which are the strongest ones, is that these groups want to destroy them. However, these countries are strong and they are determined- thanks to God- until now. We must unite so as to be strong in facing these groups.

  • ياسر يونس

    2012-9-16

    The different parties of the Syrian community are calling for avoiding treatment on the basis of sectarian discrimination in order to maintain their security and safety as well as the unity, peace, security and stability of this brotherly nation and its strong and great people. In fact, the latter have forcefully faced the unjust regime and declared their challenge to the fire of the war which is waged by the ruling regime. Syrians have pursued their revolution until achieving all their demands and fulfilling the dream which has become some way off. Yet, it will inevitably be fulfilled one day when the right will strongly win and the oppressors will get their just desserts for what they have carried out and offered to their people since a long time. In fact, everyone and all Syrians are hopeful to achieve this dream.

  • عمر عبد القادر

    2012-9-16

    During the Revolution, Syrians have called for the implementation of a just democratic rule which is not based on racial discrimination that would ignite a civil war in every corner of Syria. However, the Revolution has turned, on the hands of the criminal murderers, into a strange war which the world has never seen. Indeed, it has become a war by the regime against its own people as if it wants to remain alone in the country in order to suck its resources and apply its laws on all those who support the regime and help it carry out its criminal acts. Thus, we are required to lend a hand to Syrians by all means since they deserve all the appreciation and respect. Syrians also deserve that we work quickly on halting bloodshed and helping them eradicate all the members of this bloody regime which has nothing to do with ethics and humanity. This regime is carrying out the most heinous crimes in order to implement its rule and take by force its legitimacy from Syrians. Yet, the latter will never accept that this regime will restore its lost legitimacy which the entire world is currently witnessing. In fact, Syrians reject that the regime of Bashar Assad and his servants will continue regardless of the length of the war and the means of repression used against them. Indeed, this is what we totally agree with and completely refuse its continuation. Thus, we can work on fulfilling it in order to achieve this dream.