Assad refuses to cooperate with West

DAMASCUS - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has rejected any security cooperation with Western nations or the reopening of their embassies until they cut ties with opposition and insurgent groups.

Shortly after Assad gave his speech, a shell hit the first international fair in the country since the war began six years ago, killing six people and wounding several others.

The state-run news agency blamed the rebels in the suburbs of the capital, saying they fired the shell in violation of a truce reached earlier this month in the eastern Ghouta.

Assad's comments come at a time when his troops and militiamen are gaining ground across the country.

Speaking before dozens of Syrian diplomats in Damascus, Assad praised Russia, Iran and Lebanon's Hezbollah for supporting his government during the conflict.

He said Syria will look east when it comes to political, economic and cultural relations.

"The direct support of our friends, politically, economically and militarily, made our advance on the ground greater and the losses of war less. Therefore, they are our partners in these achievements on the road to crush terrorism," Assad said.

"Let's be clear. There will be no security cooperation nor opening of embassies or even a role for some countries that say that they want to play a role in ending the crisis in Syria before they clearly and frankly cut their relations with terrorism," Assad said. "At that point maybe we can speak about opening embassies."

Following months of steady military advances, Syria's government is looking ahead to reconstruction.

Assad said his country's economy is turning to growth again "at a very slow pace, although we are under an almost complete embargo".

The government had billed the international trade fair, which opened three days ago, as a "victory" and a sign of renewed confidence in the war-torn nation.

The full-fledged Syrian civil war has since killed an estimated 400,000 people and displaced half the country's population.

Many Western and Arab countries have called on Assad to step down and both the US and the European Union have imposed sanctions on the government. Several Arab and Western countries also withdrew their diplomats from Damascus.

But after the IS group declared a caliphate in large parts of Syria and Iraq, the international focus turned to crushing the extremists.

On Monday, Russia's air force destroyed a large column of IS fighters on their way to the Syrian city of Deir al-Zor, killing more than 200 militants, Moscow said.

Ap - Afp - Reuters

(China Daily 08/22/2017 page12)