Khaldoun Al-Qassam: “Saudi Arabia Must Get Out of Yemen Quagmire First”

The Deputy Chairman of the Foreign Affairs Committee of the Council of the Syrian people, Al- Qassam Khaldoun, has stated in an interview with “Echorouk” that Saudi Arabia, is now mired in the swamp of strife-torn Yemen, and is accountable for its long-running negative posture in dealing with the “Daesh” terrorist organization.

How do you see the announcement of the Saudi military actions in troubled Syria?

Saudi Arabia is grappling with a lot of intricate problems, and isn’t likely to get rid of them for years owing to what is happening in Yemen, it can’t neither continue nor withdraw from strife-torn Yemen, and now it is plunging into the Syrian quagmire.

Any military action to be undertaken by a State, should be in keeping with the United Nations and Security Council resolutions, and must be fully and completely endorsed by the Syrian state itself. As a matter of fact, Syria is a state that has the legitimacy and sovereignty over its entire territory and will never agree to such a contingency.

Russia carried out numerous military actions in Syria, the United States also bombed Syrian territory, what if any legitimacy remains for the Syrian state?

Russia carried out joint military action with the Syrian state, as part of the two countries’ joint defense treaty, but on the contrary the United States imposed itself and rebelled against international legitimacy. Concerning  Russia’s military actions, they secured the prior approval of the Syrian state and in coordination with it, and Syria wields the sovereign decision as regards who should intervene all over its entire territory.

Saudi Arabia raises the slogan of fighting “Daesh” terror group, and you as well, isn’t this a convergence of views?

Why Saudi Arabia waited until today to declare war on “Daesh”, and especially after the arrival of the Syrian army at most conflict-beset areas, and embarked on clearing operations there? We have achieved a lot of successes, and why Saudi Arabia did not move when Syria’s government first warned of the nefarious spin-offs entailed of this terrorist organization in Syria itself and elsewhere in the region?