British MEP says ‘time is running out for the Syrian people

Syria needs more time to end the conflict raging across the country, President Bashar al-Assad said in a television interview to be broadcast by a private pro-regime channel on Wednesday. Excerpts from the interview also show the Syrian President scoffing at the idea of creating humanitarian buffer zones within Syria and calling Turkey an “enemy of Syria”.

Sajjad Karim - Jordan's King Abdullah

Sajjad Karim – Jordan’s King Abdullah

Sajjad Karim, the British Conservative MEP and Legal Affairs spokesperson for the ECR Group, warned the European Parliament of the rising turmoil in Syria as early as September 2011. Today he made the following statement regarding President Bashar al-Assad’s television appearance:

“Having met with President al-Assad before the Arab Spring in my capacity as a Member of the European Parliament delegation to Mashreq countries, I can firmly say that the Syrian President is not in control of his country. With 25,000 Syrian civilians killed, 214,000 fleeing to neighbouring countries and ongoing street battles in major cities such as Aleppo, this is a country embroiled in a brutal civil war. President al-Assad talks of needing more time to win the war, but in reality, time is running out for the Syrian people.”

Sanctions need to be stepped up and opponents to the Syrian regime, both in the country and internationally, must be robust and united in their approach. Syrian opposition groups play a crucial part in bringing peace to Syria. But peace at this moment seems very far off the horizon.”

Mr Karim, who has been a vocal campaigner for democracy and freedom in Syria, hosted a high level discussion last year in the European Parliament which provided a platform for Syrian opposition groups. The British MEP also had a private meeting with King Abdullah of Jordan earlier this year to discuss the issue of peace after the Arab Spring and Mr Karim has highlighted the important work of online activists inside and outside Syria to Baroness Catherine Ashton, EU representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.

Activists say around 25,000 people have been killed since the uprising against Assad’s rule broke out in March last year, while the United Nations says more than 214,000 people have fled to neighbouring countries.