Syria's Assad accuses West of supporting terrorism

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Wednesday accused many Western countries of supporting terrorism in Syria, according to the state news agency SANA, while major world and regional countries are expected to meet on the Syrian crisis later this week.

"Many regional and Western countries, including France, are still supporting terrorism and provide political cover for the terrorist organizations in Syria and the region," al-Assad said during his meeting with a visiting delegation of French lawmakers.

The president underscored the important role the parliamentarians can play to "correct" the French government's policies to work on supporting security and stability in the region.

Al-Assad also stressed the importance of exerting collaborated efforts to counter terrorism, especially the Western countries whose current policies have done nothing to alleviate the suffering of the Syrian people.

Regarding the humanitarian situation in Syria, the embattled leader blamed the terrorist groups and Western sanctions for the devastation of the humanitarian situation in Syria, saying the siege imposed on Syria has negatively reverberated on the livelihood of the Syrians on many levels, including the health sector.

The French lawmakers said they will exhaust all efforts to make a change in the policies of their country to help lift the suffering of the Syrian people.

Wednesday's visit was not the first by French lawmakers. Last July, a group of French lawmakers visited Damascus and met with Assad, during which the president underscored the important role of the lawmakers of Europe in making changes in the foreign policies of the West.

Top diplomats from the United States, Russia, Iraq, Turkey, Iran, Egypt and Saudi Arabia are expected to meet on the future of Syria in Vienna on Friday. Endit