.jpg "Nga và Syria có thể vẫn tiếp tục quan hệ đối tác ngay cả khi chính quyền cũ sụp đổ")
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-ac017d3d3ce25d3405471795d6bb26f0.jpg "Gia Loc needs over 10 billion VND to invest in renovating and expanding landfills.")
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Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has made his first public statement since fleeing Syria, defending his time in power and denying he planned to flee when opposition forces seized control earlier this month.
In a statement posted on the Telegram channel of the Syrian Presidential Palace on December 16, Mr. Assad said that his departure from Syria was not planned in advance and did not take place in the last hours as some claims. He affirmed that he remained in Damascus, carrying out his duties until the early hours of December 8.
The statement added that when opposition forces entered the capital, he moved to a Russian base in the coastal city of Latakia to monitor fighting. However, the base was later attacked by opposition forces using drones. He made it clear that in such a situation, any contribution he made would be meaningless.
Opposition forces led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) launched an offensive from Idlib province in northwestern Syria in November, quickly seizing cities from government forces. They arrived in Damascus at dawn on December 8 and declared the end of President al-Assad's regime in Syria.
In an effort to promote the peace process in Syria, during a meeting in Cairo on December 16, Egyptian President Abdel-Fattah El-Sisi and Jordanian King Abdullah II called for an inclusive political process in the Middle Eastern country with the participation of all parties as well as diverse elements in the Syrian community.
The two leaders stressed the importance of supporting the Syrian state and protecting the unity and territorial integrity of the Middle Eastern country, especially as both Egypt and Jordan are members of the Arab Liaison Committee on Syria.
Also on December 16, during a meeting of the EU Foreign Affairs Council, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Kaja Kallas instructed a senior diplomat to address the current situation with the Syrian interim government led by HTS.
It is the EU's latest move to establish ties with the force that overthrew President Bashar al-Assad's government. The group remains under international scrutiny as it is listed as a terrorist group.
The EU is seeking to support a peaceful political transition in Syria, Kallas said, but European countries are divided over whether EU engagement with HTS would jeopardize the EU’s stance against terrorism and its commitment to human rights.
Ms Kallas stressed that the EU will not amend the terrorist designation for HTS. According to the EU foreign policy chief, HTS must first demonstrate its commitment to a stable, inclusive Syria that protects minorities. She said the EU will monitor the coming weeks to determine whether HTS can meet these expectations.
At a recent meeting in Jordan, representatives from the EU, US, UK, UN and Arab states agreed on principles supporting Syria’s unity, territorial integrity and human rights. The US and UK are also maintaining diplomatic contacts with HTS while keeping the group on its list of designated terrorist organizations.
