Syrian Revolution Digest - Tharwacolamus - 3

Wednesday, May 16, 2012

No Action No Peace!

 

Kosovo Fallouts

The fallouts from our trip to Kosovo, with Bashar Al-Assad himself now weighing in. In an interview with a Russian TV station, Assad says (below is an English translation of in French original):

President Bashar al-Assad confirmed reports that rebels had attended training Syrian military camps in Kosovo.

"We have information confirming that a Syrian opposition group traveled to Kosovo to gain experience in the field of armed intervention in a step to bring NATO to Syria," said the head of the Syrian state in an interview with the Rossiya television channel 24.

Mr. Assad says that he has obtained this information from reliable sources (probably my blog).

Regarding my part in the affair, the report went to note that:

In late April, the Serbian news agency, Tanjug, referred to an announcement by Syrian exiled Syrian opposition member, Ammar Abdulhamid, that the rebels would use the experience of the Liberation Army Kosovo (KLA) to fight the regime of Bashar al-Assad. According to Mr. Abdulhamid, members of the opposition have promised to recognize Kosovo's independence in case of coming to power in Damascus. Pristina confirmed to be in contact with the Syrian opposition, but refuted allegations of training fighters.

In related news, Al-Hayat published the Arabic translation of Veton Surroi’s article “Lessons from Kosovo,” here.  For her part, Asharq Al-Awsat refers to the Russian Foreign Ministry’s objections to the visit here. But Asharq Also notes that Russia’s arms supplies to Syria continue, quoting assertions in this regard by the Russian Deputy Foreign Minister.