Al-Lahham: Door for dialogue open to all

Speaker of the People's Assembly, Mohammad Jihad al-Lahham emphasized the importance of national dialogue as the basis for the political program for solving the crisis in Syria. Meeting a Czech media delegation on Thursday, al- Lahham said that dialogue comprises all political and social forces according to national principles, indicating that the door is wide open to all who want dialogue, including the armed opposition. Al-Lahham said that that the Syrian people's interest is the real compass for solving the crisis, laying emphasis on rejecting foreign interference in the Syrian internal affairs. Al-Lahham pointed to the international double standards in approaching the situation in Syria as ''Some countries allege support for the political settlement for the crisis while in fact have no genuine intentions to pressure the gunmen to come to dialogue.'' He also indicated that certain media channels underestimate the perception of viewers through fabricating lies on Syria's events, adding that targeting the Syrian state uncovers foreign conspiracies to `fragment it, pointing to the attempts on the lives of elected MPs and the assassination of some, as well as threatening their families. Al-Lahham said that the Syrian people, who presented an example in fraternity and coexistence throughout history ''will not allow evil, narrow-minded and takfiri powers to tamper with their cultural achievements," stressing that the Syrians will never succumb to the terrorism of armed groups. He added that Syria is determined to push ahead with carrying out reforms to realize the aspirations of the Syrian people through a set of modern laws, indicating that the armed groups enjoy no support base in Syria. Members of the media delegation said that their visit to Syria offered them an opportunity to get a close look at the reality of events, vowing to convey it to the Czech people and world public opinion.