MOSCOW, April 21. /TASS/. Russia’s use of its veto right at the UN Security Council several times preserved Syria’s integrity, Syria's Ambassador to Russia Riad Haddad said at the meeting with Deputy Chairman of the Federation Council Ilyas Umakhanov.
"From the very beginning, the main goal of the terror war imposed on us was our state’s disintegration," the diplomat said. "We will never agree to either disintegration of our country or creation of local councils for the same purpose."
"Information war against Syria has been won by Western countries. Unfortunately, they have been able to mislead not only their citizens, but the entire world community," Haddad said.
"When they (Western countries) say that Syria defeated terrorism, they pursue a goal to push an idea of creation of local councils not controlled by Damascus, and this is also continuation of the information war and division ideas," he said.
"Russia’s use of its veto right several times in the UN Security Council did not allow authors of the "breakdown project" to divide the Syrian state and use the UNSC as a tribune for interfering into the affairs of a sovereign state," the ambassador stressed.
"Syrian-Russian relations have been strengthening, which has a positive effect on the regional security and global stability," he said.
"Strategic relations between Moscow and Damascus has helped overturn all the projects aimed at destroying the Middle East," the Syrian diplomat added.
Damascus never used chemical weapons
Damascus has never used and will never use chemical weapons as there are none of them within Syria, he stressed.
"Syria has never used and will never use chemical weapons for a very simple reason: we do not have them in our territory," Haddad said.
"We have handed the entire chemical stockpile over, under the UN auspices and under the surveillance of Russia and the United States," he added.
"What happened in Khan Shaykhun was a political show staged by countries involved in the war against Syria," he said.
"Through this show, these countries are seeking to achieve their political goals," he added.
The Kurdish issue
He went on to say that the Kurdish issue is used by some countries in a bid to disintegrate Syria.
"Of course, some regional and international forces are trying to develop the trend to separate some Kurdish regions from Syria," he said. "However, in actual fact, many Kurds are vehemently opposed to any forms of separation."
"The Kurds are an integral part of our country," he noted. "They have the same rights and duties as all citizens of our country."
"Syria is able and ready to resolve its crisis without outside interference," he added.
Capabilities to defeat terrorism
Russia’s participation in the counterterrorism operation in Syria has confirmed that there are capabilities to destroy terrorism, Haddad said.
"Russia’s direct involvement in the war on terror has confirmed that there are capabilities to destroy terrorism. However, it is necessary to pool efforts of all countries to do that. This has not happened to date," he noted.
"In addition to that, the participation of the Russian Aerospace Forces helped the Syrian army to regain the initiative and liberate thousands of square kilometers from ISIL (former name of the Islamic State, IS, terror group - TASS) and other terrorist groups," the diplomat added.
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