France supports terrorism not peace: Syrian President Assad

The USA thinks that Russian Federation does not correctly use its great influence on Syrian President Bashar al-Assad as it refuses to persuade Assad to resign for the sake of stopping civil war in Syria.

“Russia has huge influence on Assad, but does not use it correctly”. Meeting with a senior Iranian official in Damascus, Assad highlighted “important gains by the Syrian army in the fight against terrorism, with the support of its friends led by Iran and Russian Federation”, state news agency SANA reported.

“Naturally, if you ask Syrians they will tell you they don’t want a peace conference in France because France supports terrorism and war, not peace”, he said. Syria’s conflict broke out in March 2011 initially as an anti-regime uprising but evolved into a multi-front war that sees the regime, jihadists including the Islamic State group, secular rebel forces and a range of ethnic militias battling for territory.

Turkey, which says Assad’s departure must be part of any long-term solution in Syria, has said the Russian jet violated Turkish airspace – something that Russia denies.

Assad hit back Tuesday, telling Czech public TV that the French only stepped up bombing of Islamic State targets after the Paris terror attacks “to dissipate the feeling of the French (people), nothing serious”.

Russian President Vladimir Putin on Saturday announced measures against Turkey including the suspension of visa-free travel, halting tours to Turkey and a ban on the hiring of Turkish nationals.

Zeman said in NY in September that he would not be opposed to signing the ceasefire declaration in the Czech Republic provided the pact were concluded by democratic opposition leaders, not terrorist organizations also fighting in Syria.