TASS, February 17. Syria remains committed to dialogue to find a solution to the crisis, but will not allow its constitution to become a bargaining chip, Syrian President Bashar Assad said at a meeting with heads of local councils on Sunday.
"We will not allow the hostile states to achieve any of their objectives through their agents who hold the Syrian nationality," Syria’s SANA news agency said citing the president.
He has warned that "Turkish accomplices" got into the constitutional committee that is formed in accordance with the Syrian National Dialogue Congress’ decision (held on January 30-31, 2018).
"The Constitution, like the sovereignty of states, is a matter dealing with the destiny of the homeland and it should not be disregarded as otherwise we will have to pay far more than for war," Assad said.
The Syrian leader lashed out at the "hostile countries which are still insisting on their aggression and obstruction of any special process like those in Sochi and Astana.".
Safety of civilians in northeast
The Syrian regions will be retaken by the country’s Armed Forces, which are capable of protecting civilians in the northeast areas neighboring Turkey, Assad said.
"The Americans will not protect you, and you will be a tool for bargaining in their hands. Only the Syrian Arab Army can defend you," SANA said citing Assad as saying.
The president emphasized that Damascus would view foreign presence on its soil as an invasion.
On December 19, 2018, US President Donald Trump said that the United States had defeated ISIS (Islamic State, a terrorist organization banned in Russia) in Syria, which was the only reason for the US troops being there, so all US troops would be pulled out of Syria. According to US officials, the US would withdraw its entire force of 2,000 service members from Syria within 60 to 100 days. However, the pullout schedule was modified later at the request of the Pentagon.
Refugees
Syria does its utmost to help "all the displaced due to terrorism" return to homeland, Assad said.
"Syria needs all its people and wants to alleviate the refugees’ suffering in foreign lands," he underlined.
Nevertheless, Assad added that certain states, which supported terrorist groups during the war, are barring Syrians from coming back.
"We will not allow the sponsors of terrorism to transform the Syrian refugees into a political paper to achieve their interests," the Syrian president warned.
"Each who left the homeland due to terrorism might freely come back to the homeland to contribute to the reconstruction process," Assad said.
The Syrian head of state recalled that tens of thousands of Syrian citizens returned to the country from neighboring states in 2018.