The President of Syria, Bashar al-Assad, stated on Thursday, April 1, to the Russian news agency RIA Novosti that he would be willing to hold early presidential elections if the people of Syria desired it, but this has not been the wish of the Syrian people. Al-Assad further referred to the desire of the Syrian people for the continued military presence of Russian forces in Syria, both currently and in the future. He stated that this request is logical for any government that invites a foreign military to be present in its country, and therefore no one can prohibit it. The Syrian president also mentioned his country's relations with Turkey, stating that if Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdoğan ceases to interfere in Damascus's affairs, Syria could have good relations with Turkey. Al-Assad claimed that Erdoğan's army is currently at war in Syria, emphasizing that this army is not the Turkish army but Erdoğan's army. He also stressed the importance of quickly initiating the peace process and announced that it is better for the president to be elected by the people's votes rather than by parliament. While discussing the next presidential election, Al-Assad's own future in Syria remains uncertain. The newspaper Al-Hayat reported on Thursday that an agreement had been reached between Russia and the United States regarding Bashar al-Assad's future. According to this report, John Kerry, the U.S. Secretary of State, told several Arab countries that Russia and the U.S. have agreed that with the finalization of the peace process, Bashar al-Assad would be transferred to an unknown country. However, following the publication of this report, Dmitry Peskov, the Kremlin spokesman, stated that these claims do not correspond to reality and are false. According to the United Nations peace plan, the next president of Syria should be elected based on the people's vote. However, Western powers and Assad's opponents insist that Bashar al-Assad's name should not be among the future candidates. Two years ago, Bashar al-Assad held a presidential election and claimed to have won with 88% of the votes, asserting that he is the legitimate president of the Syrian people. Many governments did not accept this election and called it 'shameful.'
Bashar al-Assad: I Would Hold Early Elections if the People Wanted It
Bashar al-Assad expressed willingness to hold early elections if desired by the Syrian people, while emphasizing the importance of Russian military presence in Syria. He also discussed relations with Turkey and claimed that Erdoğan's forces are engaged in conflict in Syria. The future of Assad remains uncertain amid reports of a potential agreement between Russia and the U.S. regarding his exit.
👥 Key Players
📰 What Happened
Bashar al-Assad expressed willingness to hold early elections if desired by the Syrian people, while emphasizing the importance of Russian military presence in Syria. He also indicated that relations with Turkey could improve if Erdoğan stops interfering in Syrian affairs.
- Al-Assad claims that the Syrian people desire continued Russian military presence.
- Reports suggest a potential agreement between Russia and the U.S. regarding Assad's future, which was denied by Kremlin officials.
💡 Why It Matters
📚 Background
The Syrian civil war has been ongoing since 2011, leading to a complex conflict involving multiple domestic and international actors. Assad's regime has faced significant opposition, and his legitimacy is contested both domestically and internationally.
🏷️ Entities Mentioned
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Translation confidence: 85%