ianstone
06-16-2010, 09:15 PM
Page last updated at 00:38 GMT, Thursday, 17 June 2010 01:38 UK
By Jeremy Bowen
BBC Middle East editor http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/48095000/jpg/_48095836_48095831.jpg Bashar al-Assad reiterated that Iran would remain his ally Israel's attack on the Gaza aid ship has increased the chances of war in the Middle East, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has told the BBC.
He said Syria was working to prevent a regional war, but there was no chance of a peace deal with the current Israeli administration, which he called a "pyromaniac government".
Mr Assad also rejected claims he was arming Hezbollah in Lebanon.
He said that Middle East was going through a period of momentous change.
He has the air of a man who thinks matters are going his way, even though he shares the common Middle Eastern view that the region is getting more dangerous.
Mr Assad said the Israeli attack on the Free Gaza flotilla that killed nine Turkish activists was having serious consequences.
"[It has] destroyed any chance for peace in the near future," he said.
"Mainly because it proved that this government is another pyromaniac government, and you cannot achieve peace with such [a] government."
Mr Assad denied that he was sending weapons to the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon.
Israel, the US and Britain are convinced not only that he is, but they say he is also sending bigger, better and more accurate ones than before.
He seems in no mood to respond to American attempts to woo him away from Syria's long term strategic alliance with Iran.
He said he is happy to do business with the United States. But Iran would stay an ally.
By Jeremy Bowen
BBC Middle East editor http://news.bbcimg.co.uk/media/images/48095000/jpg/_48095836_48095831.jpg Bashar al-Assad reiterated that Iran would remain his ally Israel's attack on the Gaza aid ship has increased the chances of war in the Middle East, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has told the BBC.
He said Syria was working to prevent a regional war, but there was no chance of a peace deal with the current Israeli administration, which he called a "pyromaniac government".
Mr Assad also rejected claims he was arming Hezbollah in Lebanon.
He said that Middle East was going through a period of momentous change.
He has the air of a man who thinks matters are going his way, even though he shares the common Middle Eastern view that the region is getting more dangerous.
Mr Assad said the Israeli attack on the Free Gaza flotilla that killed nine Turkish activists was having serious consequences.
"[It has] destroyed any chance for peace in the near future," he said.
"Mainly because it proved that this government is another pyromaniac government, and you cannot achieve peace with such [a] government."
Mr Assad denied that he was sending weapons to the Hezbollah movement in Lebanon.
Israel, the US and Britain are convinced not only that he is, but they say he is also sending bigger, better and more accurate ones than before.
He seems in no mood to respond to American attempts to woo him away from Syria's long term strategic alliance with Iran.
He said he is happy to do business with the United States. But Iran would stay an ally.