ODFS Director welcomes statement by German foreign minister on arming Syrian rebels
Thursday, 16 May 2013
German foreign minister Westerwelle warns about arming Syrian rebels with links to al-Qaida
Associated Press
MAY 6, 2013
Germany's foreign minister says weapons meant for opponents of the regime of Syrian President Bashar Assad must not fall into the hands of rebels aligned with al-Qaida.
Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle told delegates at a plenary assembly of the World Jewish Congress in the Hungarian capital of Budapest that "lethal weapons in the wrong hands" could be turned against democracies in the region like Israel or Turkey.
He says that for fighters in Syria close to al-Qaida, "the way to Damascus is just a stop over the way to Jerusalem."
Commenting on the matter, Director of ODFS, Ribal Al-Assad said:
“I agree completely with Minister Westerwelle; arming the rebels would not only spell disaster for Syria but the region as a whole. I am very pleased that Germany recognises the danger to the entire region should arms fall into the wrong hands. I urge the rest of the international community to heed their advice.”