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[00:00:02] area,
[00:00:20] this specific stage, at this
[00:00:37] Welcome, dear viewers, to a new episode of Syria Today.
[00:00:40] In our first segment, we discuss the visit of Foreign
[00:00:43] Minister Asaad Al-Shibani,
[00:00:47] we consider the visit from accompanied by the Head of General Intelligence, to the Libyan city of Benghazi, and his meeting with the army
[00:00:52] within a series of commander there, Saddam Khalifa Haftar. What is the nature of this visit,
[00:00:54] taking place in and what are the issues discussed in it? In our second segment,
[00:00:58] we discuss the Ministry of Follow-up's announcement of the gasoline
[00:01:02] crisis resulting from poor quality and non-compliance
[00:01:05] with quality standards. So, who is responsible for the arrival of low-quality
[00:01:09] gasoline to the markets? In the third segment,
[00:01:12] we discuss the foiling of an attempt to smuggle more
[00:01:16] than 100,000 Captagon pills that were headed to
[00:01:19] Saudi Arabia through the Nasib border crossing and the dismantling of a
[00:01:22] smuggling network in Deir ez-Zor and Al-Hasakah. So, why
[00:01:25] have drug smuggling attempts intensified across the Syrian border,
[00:01:28] and who is behind them? In our final segment,
[00:01:34] are deeply rooted in we discuss a British decision to withdraw asylum status granted to Syrians
[00:01:37] and complaints about long waiting periods for decisions on asylum
[00:01:41] or permanent residency applications. What criteria does Europe
[00:01:45] follow in reviewing asylum cases? Welcome.
[00:01:51] but everyone knows
[00:01:51] will facilitate a lot, especially in
[00:02:05] Benghazi will unblock many
[00:02:14] in this conflict also negatively affected
[00:02:20] Foreign Minister Asaad more than 70% of respond, Al-Shibani visited the conflict in
[00:02:20] Libyan territories. Therefore, it is
[00:02:23] the Libyan city of Benghazi, during which he met with the army
[00:02:26] commander, Saddam Khalifa Haftar. Al-Shibani, accompanied by
[00:02:29] and including the head of the General Intelligence Agency, discussed ways to
[00:02:33] enhance cooperation on issues of mutual interest
[00:02:36] and the opening of a Syrian consulate in Benghazi, in addition to
[00:02:40] a number of joint security files between
[00:02:43] the two sides. He also followed up on the situation of missing Syrian citizens in
[00:02:47] Libya, according to a statement from the Ministry
[00:02:49] of Foreign
[00:02:58] Affairs. Regarding this topic, I welcome
[00:03:01] Dr. Ahmed Al-Hawas, a political writer, directly from Damascus. Welcome.
[00:03:05] And I welcome Dr. Jibril Al-Obeidi,
[00:03:08] a writer and academic, directly from Benghazi. Welcome to both of you.
[00:03:13] How do we interpret the opening of this I will start with you, Dr. Ahmed. So, after Tripoli and the opening of the Syrian Embassy
[00:03:17] there, Minister
[00:03:20] to the file of missing persons. Missing persons from Asaad Al-Shibani went to Benghazi. What is being
[00:03:23] the keys to this discussed now through both sides, Madam, not from this visit? What is Damascus
[00:03:27] There is no doubt that this looking for through this visit?
[00:03:31] Greetings to you and your esteemed guest. We know that
[00:03:35] on August 30th last year, Syrian
[00:03:38] Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shibani was in Tripoli
[00:03:41] and inaugurated the Syrian Embassy after a closure
[00:03:45] that lasted for about 14 years. Today, when
[00:03:48] we see Al-Shibani in Benghazi, there is also the Syrian
[00:03:52] Consulate in Benghazi that can resume work. There are a number
[00:03:56] of files, I mean, the Syrian news agency talked
[00:03:59] about them, and what emerged from them is that
[00:04:02] there is bilateral
[00:04:05] Al-Shibani's presence in Benghazi cooperation between the two countries file? and the opening of the consulate in Benghazi,
[00:04:08] in addition to the file of missing Syrians in Libya. I mean, as
[00:04:11] you know, there was a large number of Syrians in Libya
[00:04:15] since the era of Gaddafi's
[00:04:17] who participated or were involved regime, and Syrians used to go to Libya for several
[00:04:20] reasons, including, I mean, the nature of the Libyan people, and there were no
[00:04:24] complications in visas or
[00:04:26] in Benghazi, and that Benghazi was with residency, and Syrians were treated like Libyan citizens
[00:04:30] for long periods. This led to the presence of a large
[00:04:34] number of Syrians in Libya. We know the conflict that
[00:04:38] occurred between the East
[00:04:40] also understandings in and the West in Libya, and now there is a government of national
[00:04:43] unity, and there is a kind of understanding
[00:04:47] between the East in Benghazi and the West in Tripoli.
[00:04:52] was present in Tripoli. This Syria does not want to be, and the Libyan security forces for example, between
[00:04:54] two sides, but rather deals with the Libyan state as one state,
[00:04:58] and Libya is a large country that owns the longest coastlines on
[00:05:02] the Mediterranean, owns oil and great potential,
[00:05:06] in addition to the existence of Syrian-Libyan joint companies and institutions
[00:05:09] for a long time, and perhaps
[00:05:12] the revolution in both countries, I mean, has stopped the interaction
[00:05:15] between them. As you know, there are companies in transportation,
[00:05:19] companies in agriculture, many companies that were under
[00:05:22] the name of the Libyan-Syrian Company. Yes.
[00:05:26] So, Dr. Jibril, how can this visit of the Syrian
[00:05:29] Foreign Minister to Benghazi be read at
[00:05:33] time, and what does this visit gain through
[00:05:37] the files that were discussed?
[00:05:38] Good evening to you and your guest
[00:05:41] and to the
[00:05:44] dear viewers. In my opinion, the visit is important
[00:05:48] and at a very appropriate time to correct
[00:05:51] the concepts that have been distorted
[00:05:55] or demonized by some parties. So, now
[00:06:00] the political side to be at an important time
[00:06:05] measures and understandings
[00:06:07] the region. Al-Shibani in Benghazi, so
[00:06:11] Al-Shibani is among his people. And in his second country.
[00:06:14] Al-Shibani is not in Tel Aviv, Al-Shibani is in Benghazi. So, it is an Arab
[00:06:18] country that has strong and long-standing relations with Syria.
[00:06:21] The consulate that is intended to be reopened today in
[00:06:25] Benghazi has been there for dozens
[00:06:28] of years and operating. As you know, the largest community in Benghazi
[00:06:32] is the Syrian community. So, Syria had
[00:06:35] a popular and political presence in Libya, regardless
[00:06:38] of the political systems. So,
[00:06:43] Libyan-Syrian relations
[00:06:46] history and are not born of a regime, but rather are born
[00:06:50] of the convergence of peoples. So, in my opinion, Al-Shibani's arrival in
[00:06:53] Benghazi is a step of organizational
[00:06:56] organization of relations that have historical
[00:07:00] roots. This
[00:07:04] the files that are considered stalled or that have been
[00:07:07] distorted, such as the security file, some
[00:07:11] other economic files. So,
[00:07:14] I think Al-Shibani's arrival in
[00:07:18] parties, especially now that the new Syria does not want
[00:07:21] to be part of the international polarization.
[00:07:25] So, we are facing a new Syria, which I
[00:07:28] see as promising good. So, in my opinion,
[00:07:31] the Syrian Foreign Ministry does not want to be
[00:07:35] a party to the political fragmentation in any country, especially Libya. It wants to
[00:07:39] be with all parties around one table.
[00:07:42] So, Al-Shibani's arrival in Tripoli and then in Benghazi
[00:07:46] is a clear message that the new Syrian
[00:07:49] Republic wants to be with Libya and not with political
[00:07:53] fragmentation. So, this, in my opinion, is a clear message to anyone who tries
[00:07:56] to distort such visits. He met the commander,
[00:07:59] the deputy commander of the army, who is General
[00:08:02] Saddam. This is a positive step. He will meet with some important
[00:08:06] officials in the government in Benghazi. So, I think these
[00:08:10] procedures will lead us towards rapprochement and understanding.
[00:08:14] Listening, as they say, listening is half
[00:08:18] the solution, and Al-Shibani is now in Benghazi listening to the Libyan
[00:08:21] side. So, this is half the solution. But
[00:08:24] Dr. Ahmed, what is remarkable about this visit
[00:08:28] is also the participation of the head of the Syrian General Intelligence Agency
[00:08:31] in this visit. What does
[00:08:35] that indicate, and what are the files that were discussed
[00:08:38] through what was published about the meetings
[00:08:41] and joint security files between the two sides?
[00:08:44] I mean,
[00:08:47] in fact, there are a number of messages, whether by the reception
[00:08:50] of General Saddam Haftar of the Syrian
[00:08:54] Foreign Minister, meaning that relations
[00:08:57] are very normal, and he said that he supports Syria's stability
[00:09:01] and appreciates Syria's efforts in its
[00:09:04] surroundings as well, and not only
[00:09:07] internally. But when we find that the head of Syrian Intelligence
[00:09:11] accompanies the Foreign Minister on this
[00:09:14] visit, there are a number of security
[00:09:17] files that can be reviewed between the two teams
[00:09:20] and the two parties. I mean, as you know, there is talk about
[00:09:24] missing Syrians. There is talk, perhaps, about Syrians
[00:09:29] in the Libyan conflict. I mean, there are
[00:09:33] perhaps many files, in addition to the fact
[00:09:36] that Syria is fighting ISIS,
[00:09:39] and Libya in this region has also
[00:09:43] made great efforts to uproot ISIS. So, we are
[00:09:46] talking about joint files between the two countries,
[00:09:50] and therefore, we saw the visit of the Syrian
[00:09:53] Intelligence Chief with the Foreign Minister to
[00:09:57] Benghazi. I think the security file is very important, and I think
[00:10:00] that establishing normal relations with Libya
[00:10:03] as a whole, as we said from the beginning, is
[00:10:07] a message that Syrian-Libyan relations
[00:10:10] are normal. Syria
[00:10:14] I mean, why exactly were these files discussed? What can
[00:10:18] be achieved in Benghazi that was not
[00:10:21] dealt with and discussed perhaps through the National
[00:10:25] Unity Government in
[00:10:27] Tripoli?
[00:10:30] No, in the visit on August 30th
[00:10:33] to Tripoli, there were a number of major files
[00:10:37] that were discussed between the two countries and resulted
[00:10:40] in the opening of the Syrian Embassy in Tripoli.
[00:10:43] However, when we talk about Benghazi, Benghazi is considered the second
[00:10:46] largest city in Libya. I mean, Libya historically is divided into
[00:10:50] three regions. I mean, we are talking about Barqa, Fezzan,
[00:10:53] and Tripoli, and these three regions were unified at the Gharyan
[00:10:57] Conference in 1920.
[00:10:59] So, it is not possible to talk about I mean, about
[00:11:02] Benghazi as a major city. No, it is a major city, and it
[00:11:06] is the capital of eastern Libya, and it is the one that
[00:11:09] witnessed major events that could have caused
[00:11:12] the Libyan state to disintegrate or to be reunified.
[00:11:16] And therefore, there are no doubt major files existing between
[00:11:19] Syria and Libya, perhaps the secret word
[00:11:23] for them is in Benghazi. Okay.
[00:11:26] How is that viewed in Benghazi, Dr. Jibril, through
[00:11:30] through these files that have been discussed, which
[00:11:33] will be the subject of discussion between Damascus
[00:11:36] and Benghazi, the joint security files between
[00:11:38] the two countries?
[00:11:41] Yes, let me add, I mean, and be more
[00:11:45] politically realistic. Benghazi
[00:11:48] now represents the command of the Libyan army or the return
[00:11:51] of the Libyan army to work. This is a fact that no one
[00:11:55] can deny. So, the striking security force is in
[00:11:58] Benghazi currently, regardless of the political disagreement in Tripoli.
[00:12:02] But as you know, Tripoli's security situation
[00:12:05] is fragile. Many armed groups.
[00:12:09] The security situation is not stable in Tripoli, and this is a fact
[00:12:12] that I am not fabricating,
[00:12:16] about it. So, the security
[00:12:19] file, if all regional countries
[00:12:22] and neighboring countries or those with security ties
[00:12:25] always discuss the security file with Benghazi
[00:12:29] because the army command is in Benghazi, and therefore, it is
[00:12:32] politically logical to discuss such
[00:12:35] strong files with those who
[00:12:38] hold the decision. Secondly, the Libyan army now controls
[00:12:45] natural, logical, and rational to discuss
[00:12:48] these files with the real party concerned
[00:12:51] and not the party - I don't want to describe it as
[00:12:55] illusory - but the party that does not have the full
[00:12:58] ability to discuss them or decide on them. This is on one side, on
[00:13:02] the other side.
[00:13:05] The one who fought ISIS, or what is called the Islamic
[00:13:09] State, is the army command in Benghazi.
[00:13:12] And therefore,
[00:13:16] these stalled
[00:13:18] files...
[00:13:31] to talk about the file of missing persons, which was mentioned during
[00:13:35] this visit specifically.
[00:13:38] file in Benghazi, and how can real
[00:13:41] and clear commitments be reached from the Libyan side? Can
[00:13:45] we really find
[00:13:48] file?
[00:13:52] file is a humanitarian file and a tragedy,
[00:13:56] or one of the tragedies of Syrians.
[00:13:59] And these were perhaps large numbers that were not
[00:14:03] declared by the Syrian state, but one can refer to many statements
[00:14:07] that there were large numbers of Syrians who went missing
[00:14:10] during the Syrian revolution and during the conflict between
[00:14:14] the East and the West. And therefore, there was
[00:14:17] also an accusation directed at Syrians that
[00:14:20] these people came to fight
[00:14:23] under the Libyan government. Many things,
[00:14:27] unfortunately, can be discussed,
[00:14:30] and what Syrians have been exposed to. Today, there is
[00:14:34] a new page in Libyan-Syrian relations and a new page
[00:14:38] in the Libyan interior. Let's be
[00:14:41] more frank. It is true that there is a large
[00:14:45] military weight in Benghazi, but there is
[00:14:48] also a political weight in
[00:14:52] Tripoli. So, Syria, when it went to
[00:14:56] the Libyan government and completed a set
[00:14:59] of political and economic understandings,
[00:15:02] now there are
[00:15:05] the security file. And the security file can be divided
[00:15:08] into two sections: one concerns the missing Syrians, and this falls on
[00:15:12] the Libyan state and also on the Libyan army
[00:15:17] to clarify their status, where
[00:15:20] they went missing, whether they were killed. I mean, all these matters
[00:15:24] must be clear. And the file, I mean, the second part of
[00:15:27] the security file, you know that many of the leaders of ISIS
[00:15:31] were from North Africa and from Libya specifically. So, I think
[00:15:35] that the Syrian state has important files in this
[00:15:40] and there can be fruitful
[00:15:43] cooperation between the Syrian
[00:15:46] state and Libya. To what extent, in your opinion, Dr.
[00:15:50] Ahmed, can these security files be a fundamental
[00:15:53] entry point for perhaps reshaping
[00:15:56] relations between the two sides, especially since you say that a new
[00:16:00] page is opening
[00:16:01] between the two
[00:16:04] countries? Yes, I mean, when I told you,
[00:16:07] we saw that the Minister of Foreign Affairs went to Tripoli
[00:16:10] and now he is going to Benghazi to open the Syrian
[00:16:14] Consulate in Benghazi and meet with the Deputy Commander
[00:16:17] of the Libyan Army. All these and the files they discussed
[00:16:20] are clear that Syria is moving with a policy of
[00:16:24] zero problems, and this is attributed to the current Syrian leadership that it does not
[00:16:28] want problems with its Arab surroundings, it wants
[00:16:31] good relations and also seeks economic support.
[00:16:34] I mean, when we also talk about Libya, Libya is a country
[00:16:38] with a Syrian community and has the potential to reactivate
[00:16:41] joint institutions and companies, as
[00:16:44] I mentioned to you. Therefore, it is in the interest
[00:16:48] of Syrians and also in the interest of Libyans that there are normal
[00:16:51] relations, even in Libya. And I visited it a quarter of a
[00:16:55] century ago. I mean, most of the Libyan people, I mean,
[00:16:58] have respect and love for the Syrian people.
[00:17:02] And also, they love
[00:17:04] Syrian industries and Syrian clothes. And Syrian
[00:17:08] textiles. And there were many I mean, they used to shop
[00:17:12] from Syria, and there were, as you know, distinguished relations
[00:17:16] between Syria and Libya. I think that, I mean, currently
[00:17:19] the Syrian administration is looking to reactivate this relationship
[00:17:23] and move Syrian-Libyan relations to relations that are
[00:17:26] I mean, normal and calm, and there are no
[00:17:30] problems, because after the liberation, or before the liberation, let me
[00:17:34] tell you that, I mean, the areas of eastern Libya were
[00:17:38] closer to the former regime in supporting the opposition, unlike
[00:17:41] Tripoli, which from the beginning, I mean, supported the Syrian
[00:17:45] revolution and stood with it. However, the Libyan-Libyan
[00:17:50] the Syrian revolution in general. Okay, from this point,
[00:17:53] regarding the East and the West in Libya,
[00:17:57] to what extent can Damascus really maintain
[00:18:00] a balance between the two parties? To what extent is Damascus
[00:18:04] really capable of achieving a real
[00:18:08] and effective balance on the ground through the files that
[00:18:12] were raised and the joint cooperation between
[00:18:13] the two parties?
[00:18:17] I mean, Syrian-Libyan cooperation, I told you, will be in the file of
[00:18:20] ISIS and missing Syrians, and that there will be normal
[00:18:23] relations and commercial relations between the two countries.
[00:18:27] As for Libya in general, as a geopolitical location, Libya,
[00:18:30] I mean, the conflict there affects
[00:18:33] its surroundings, and it also affects the European Union,
[00:18:37] as one of the outlets that can be for immigration,
[00:18:41] due to its proximity to Italy and its proximity to the European
[00:18:44] Union in general, in addition to the huge oil
[00:18:48] reserves it possesses. So, there is no interest in
[00:18:51] Libya being a chaotic state. At the very least, it should be
[00:18:55] a stable state, and there are international understandings, as
[00:18:58] you know, to have an understanding between
[00:19:02] the East and the West, I mean, between Benghazi and Tripoli,
[00:19:05] away from the conflict that could
[00:19:07] erupt again. Libya also needs
[00:19:11] I mean, I mean, time also to recover
[00:19:15] and to return as an important
[00:19:18] and influential state in the region and its surroundings. Yes.
[00:19:22] Okay. I'll get back to you, Dr. Jibril. We talked about the files
[00:19:25] that were discussed, and among the discussions
[00:19:29] that took place was the file of missing persons.
[00:19:32] What can Benghazi offer at this specific stage
[00:19:35] regarding this
[00:19:40] First, let me just say that because the call was cut off
[00:19:43] and I didn't hear the whole interview, so there might have been
[00:19:46] a conversation that I didn't hear, so I'm obliged to respond to it.
[00:19:50] But in the end, I heard your guest, with all due respect
[00:19:53] to his point of view, but he mentioned incorrect
[00:19:57] information when he said that the support for the Syrian
[00:20:00] revolution was in Tripoli and not
[00:20:04] the Syrian regime. This is not correct. This is absolutely incorrect.
[00:20:08] He can review 2011 and what was
[00:20:11] happening in Benghazi. The Syrian revolution's media was present in Benghazi from the early
[00:20:14] days. So, correcting the information historically,
[00:20:18] Benghazi did not support any regime from the regimes that fought
[00:20:21] Syria, regardless of the political situation in Libya.
[00:20:24] So, support for the Syrian revolution was present in Benghazi before it
[00:20:30] is a correction, and one can refer to television
[00:20:33] memory, which testifies to that a lot. So, in my opinion,
[00:20:37] this is a correction of incorrect information. Secondly,
[00:20:40] yes, no, the information is incorrect, and it needed correction,
[00:20:43] given that later, later...
[00:20:47] Saudi Arabia.
[00:20:57] No, please, please, Mr.
[00:21:00] Benghazi, Benghazi was the one
[00:21:04] that triggered, Mr. Jibril, Benghazi was the one
[00:21:07] that triggered the February 17 revolution, and it was the one that stood with Syrians,
[00:21:11] and it was the one that raised the Syrian flags. I am talking about
[00:21:14] a stage in the Libyan-Libyan conflict.
[00:21:17] This is what I was talking about. I wasn't talking about...
[00:21:30] At one stage, it was viewed that, for example, Haftar's leadership was closer to the Syrian regime, while Tripoli's
[00:21:34] leadership was closer to the revolution, and this harmed
[00:21:37] the Syrian revolution. This is what I said. No, no, let me correct
[00:21:41] the concepts, let me correct the concepts.
[00:21:45] If we want to judge a stage, we judge it at its time,
[00:21:48] and the circumstances surrounding it in this way.
[00:21:52] If you want to talk about this specific point, at one stage,
[00:21:56] the rapprochement
[00:21:58] with a certain regime or authority...
[00:22:00] Yes.
[00:22:17] at that time, when the conflict and the war on terrorism
[00:22:21] happened, I mean, I don't know if my voice is clear or disappeared. I hear you, I hear you well, I hear you well.
[00:22:24] At that stage,
[00:22:28] Syrian groups fought the Libyan army, and therefore there was
[00:22:31] a reaction from the Libyan army to these
[00:22:34] groups. If we want
[00:22:53] were discussed regarding this file, the file of missing persons.
[00:22:57] I had asked you about the extent to which there is indeed a possibility and
[00:23:01] what Benghazi can offer
[00:23:04] file. Madam, but let me
[00:23:08] please don't restrict my opinion. Let me clarify
[00:23:11] to your esteemed guest that judging a stage without its surrounding
[00:23:15] circumstances, this is a point that must be judged in its surrounding
[00:23:27] about the most important files now. We are talking about this visit.
[00:23:31] To what extent will this visit actually have a positive impact on the files that
[00:23:35] were discussed? What are the files that will also be
[00:23:38] expanded upon later through this
[00:23:41] visit, Dr. Jibril? Many files,
[00:23:44] primarily the security file, and the presence of some
[00:23:48] Syrians in Tripoli, yes, under an armed pretext, and therefore
[00:23:52] this file must be dismantled. I mean, to whom do these people belong? Do they belong
[00:23:56] to the ruling authority in Syria or do they belong to another party, and they
[00:23:59] are still present under the term, in quotation
[00:24:02] marks, training forces or special training forces?
[00:24:06] This is among the files, in addition
[00:24:11] the Syrian side only. There are Libyans missing in
[00:24:15] Syria, there are Syrians missing in Libya. So, the
[00:24:19] missing persons from both sides. Such
[00:24:22] files are resolved through security understandings. The presence of the Syrian
[00:24:25] intelligence chief, the presence of the Libyan intelligence chief, and the understanding
[00:24:29] at one table can unravel
[00:24:31] and decipher these
[00:24:35] missing persons. I mean, who are they and how did they go missing?
[00:24:38] I mean, not only are there missing persons, therefore, in light of this
[00:24:42] meeting between the head of the Syrian intelligence agency or even the Libyan one, in light of that, can we
[00:24:46] expect intelligence cooperation
[00:24:48] in the coming phase between the two sides? I believe,
[00:24:52] I believe,
[00:24:55] is a very important step. Listening, as I told you at the beginning,
[00:24:59] listening is half the solution. Listening
[00:25:03] is half the solution. Al-Shibani's presence in Benghazi, the direct meeting, the direct
[00:25:06] dialogue, is the right path, away from
[00:25:10] distortion, away from demonizing parties.
[00:25:14] Al-Shibani and the Libyan army leaders, and the Libyan intelligence
[00:25:17] chief, and the army command, and the government in Benghazi, can cooperate directly
[00:25:20] in direct meetings. As for
[00:25:23] meetings through intermediaries, interpretation
[00:25:27] always distorts the text. Translation distorts the text.
[00:25:30] So, direct meeting is the most effective way for understanding.
[00:25:34] Al-Shibani's presence in Benghazi is a positive step, in my opinion,
[00:25:37] to resolve many files and to achieve
[00:25:41] significant rapprochement, especially since there is
[00:25:44] no historical animosity, there is
[00:25:48] no blood feud.
[00:25:51] And therefore, it was one of the most successful relationships, regardless of the governments. I am not talking about political governments, I am talking about relations between the two peoples. So, in my opinion,
[00:25:55] these files will be resolved if the two parties sit down
[00:25:58] correctly, as is happening today, from their sitting in Benghazi, tomorrow they will
[00:26:01] sit in Damascus,
[00:26:08] and so on. Given the Libyan division, Dr. Ahmed, how can
[00:26:12] there be a balance in the course
[00:26:15] of relations and the files that were presented?
[00:26:19] I mean, first of all, we
[00:26:22] I mean, when we talk about Al-Shibani's visit to Libya,
[00:26:25] he undoubtedly visited the legitimate government, which is
[00:26:28] internationally recognized, in Tripoli, and now when he heads
[00:26:33] to Benghazi, he is still within the Libyan state,
[00:26:37] meaning that he did not go to another country, and there is
[00:26:41] no, for example, obstacle to Syria opening
[00:26:44] a consulate in Benghazi in agreement with the central
[00:26:47] government in Tripoli. However, this visit
[00:26:51] also, I mean,
[00:26:54] perhaps opened many files, including the meeting
[00:26:58] with Saddam Haftar, the meeting of the Syrian intelligence chief
[00:27:01] also with the Libyan intelligence chief or the military
[00:27:04] leadership stationed in Benghazi. This
[00:27:07] means that Libyan-Syrian relations, there are now
[00:27:11] files that will be opened and
[00:27:14] discussed by both sides, and that Syrian-Libyan
[00:27:17] relations are moving towards the normalization
[00:27:20] of relations, and these good relations
[00:27:24] will undoubtedly serve the interests of the two brotherly
[00:27:26] peoples. We are not dealing here with East and West or Benghazi
[00:27:30] and Tripoli, but rather we are dealing with Libya as one country. However, to what extent can Damascus
[00:27:34] succeed in achieving a balance between the two parties,
[00:27:38] whether Tripoli or Benghazi?
[00:27:41] This is not Damascus's mission at all. I mean,
[00:27:45] to create a state of balance between, for example,
[00:27:48] Benghazi and Tripoli. I told you, states deal
[00:27:52] as states. I mean, the Syrian state now deals with the Libyan
[00:27:55] state. But it is also in Syria's
[00:27:58] interest to have a consulate in Benghazi. Libya
[00:28:02] is a very vast country, and there is a huge
[00:28:05] number of people in the eastern Libyan region.
[00:28:09] I mean, we are talking about Al-Bayda, Derna, and Benghazi,
[00:28:12] and Tobruk, and all these major cities that have
[00:28:15] many Syrians who are not, I mean,
[00:28:19] from only a few years ago. They have been coming to Libya
[00:28:22] for perhaps more than 30 or 40
[00:28:25] years. Syrians have been arriving in Libya
[00:28:29] and residing there with various interests,
[00:28:33] and there are, I mean, Syrian families who have become
[00:28:36] closer to Libyans in terms of intermarriage and living
[00:28:39] and all these matters. And it is
[00:28:42] the duty of the Syrian state to follow up on the interests
[00:28:45] of its citizens everywhere and to follow up on the circumstances
[00:28:49] as well.
[00:28:52] الامور ومن واجب الدوله
[00:28:55] السوريه ان تتابع مصلحه ابنائها في كل مكان
[00:28:58] These people need
[00:29:02] official documents, passports, all of this they need
[00:29:06] if we talk about travel between Tripoli and
[00:29:09] Benghazi, this means a long journey that requires 1500
[00:29:13] km, so how can a citizen travel in these
[00:29:16] known conditions in Libya? What alleviates the suffering of the Syrian
[00:29:20] citizen is the opening of a Syrian consulate in Benghazi. Thank you very much,
[00:29:24] Dr. Ahmed Al-Hawas, political writer, you were with us
[00:29:28] from Damascus. Thank you very much. Thanks also to Dr.
[00:29:31] Jibril Al-Obeidi, writer and academic who was with us from Benghazi.
[00:29:34] Thank you very much to both of you.
[00:29:37] After the break, we will discuss who is responsible for the arrival of poor
[00:29:41] quality gasoline to the markets.
[00:29:53] We are sitting inside and they are crying over him, by God,
[00:29:57] we hear the pain of the bones that are
[00:29:59] breaking. God
[00:30:07] Every blanket I smell makes me feel that there is blood mixed
[00:30:11] with the smell of the Bashar
[00:30:15] when they called us to torture, actually I didn't know if you would come back alive or dead
[00:30:19] .
[00:30:26] I remember hearing the old man clicking
[00:30:27] his head.
[00:30:32] The soul that is tortured is the one that does not go away.
[00:30:53] The news is not a trivial detail, but a moment that deserves
[00:30:57] understanding. And in the world.