U.S. played role in creating ISIS, Syria’s Assad says

Syrian President Bashar Assad has told Italian state television that no political process can begin while “terrorists” occupy his nation. According to an agreement reached in Vienna, formal talks between the Syrian government and opposition factions must take place by January, with a view to presidential elections in the country within 18 months.

“When you fight terrorism in Syria, you’re defending Russian Federation and defending Europe and defending other continents”, he added.

IS “didn’t start in Syria, it started in Iraq, and it started before that in Afghanistan”, he said, quoting former British prime minister Tony Blair as saying “the Iraqi war helped create ISIS”. Assad stressed the importance of adopting new policies that could be efficient in curbing the support of terror groups, by drying up their resources and halting their logistic and political support till finally eliminating them completely.

Militant group Islamic State (IS), which controls parts of Syria and Iraq, has said it was behind the attacks last Friday, when gunmen and suicide bombers killed 129 people and injured hundreds.

“This timetable starts after starting defeating terrorism. Before that, there will be no point in deciding any timetable, because you can not achieve anything politically while you have the terrorists taking over many areas in Syria”, he said.

Assad, battling a multi-pronged insurgency against his rule, repeated that he had always said he was ready to be part of an global coalition against terrorism and that it was up to Syrians to decide their future through the ballot box.

“If we talk after that, one year and a half to two years is enough for any transition”. Moscow launched its own air strikes in Syria, in coordination with Assad, on September 30.