From Akram, Angry Arab's chief correspondent in Syria: "Two stories from
Moscow that shouldn't be interlinked directly:
1- Russia will not
deliver any new types of weapons or sign any military contracts with Syria until
the situation there stabilizes
2- A delegation of
the Syrian opposition is in Moscow today. But before the delegation's arrival
Jelena Sobonina, Chief of Asia and Mideast at the Russian Institute of Strategic
Study conducted an interview with one of the delegation's members, Michel Kilo
who said that defected Brigadier General Manaf Tlas is an acceptable figure for
the transitional period in Syria. Interestingly, it was Sobonina who, initially,
asked about Tlas the father (Mostafa Tlas). Here is the transcript of Kilo's
answer (voice-
Arabic):
Sobonina:
Is it true that figures like Hikmat Al-Shihaby or Mostafa
Tlas (both were prominent military
figures during Hafez Al-Assad period and Mostafa Tlas is the father of the
defected Manaf Tlas) could lead the transitional government in
Syria?
Michel Kilo: I
don't know, believe me I don't know. I'm not aware there are serious talks about
this issue. But I think Mr. Manaf Tlas is a reformist figure that,
from the beginning, was seeking a political solution and he was in disagreement with
Bashar Al-Assad on this issue. For him violence is no solution for the Syrian
crisis which can be solved only by dialog and political, social and economic
procedures. He's, now, out of power somewhere- he's actually, a
friend of mine- but I think this man is suitable for the coming
phase.
A joke? Maybe
not".
