Jeremy Bowen

That's a political classification.

I'd say he was very relaxed. He's a very calm man. He had a retinue of five or six people, bodyguards and so on, and media people with him. But yeah, he was prepared to talk. He was prepared to answer my questions. He didn't get offended by anything. He didn't get angry at any point. He came across to me as a highly intelligent and politically sophisticated man.

I'd say he was very relaxed. He's a very calm man. He had a retinue of five or six people, bodyguards and so on, and media people with him. But yeah, he was prepared to talk. He was prepared to answer my questions. He didn't get offended by anything. He didn't get angry at any point. He came across to me as a highly intelligent and politically sophisticated man.

individual and like a lot of politicians around the world in the west notably he's also pretty good at not giving a straight answer to a straight question he was stressing what he felt was the need for sanctions to be lifted what were the key parts of this interview for you Well, I think it was a couple of things.

individual and like a lot of politicians around the world in the west notably he's also pretty good at not giving a straight answer to a straight question he was stressing what he felt was the need for sanctions to be lifted what were the key parts of this interview for you Well, I think it was a couple of things.

First of all, he's trying to reassure all comers, people in Syria, that they're not going to be cracking down on people who aren't religious Sunni Muslims. And I think what was also important about it was the fact he said he called for their designation as a terrorist group to be lifted. He said that Syria needed sanctions to be lifted, too.

First of all, he's trying to reassure all comers, people in Syria, that they're not going to be cracking down on people who aren't religious Sunni Muslims. And I think what was also important about it was the fact he said he called for their designation as a terrorist group to be lifted. He said that Syria needed sanctions to be lifted, too.

And interestingly, too, when I said, look, I think people won't believe you necessarily. He said, I'm only really concerned about what Syrians think. I'm not really concerned about what the rest of the world thinks. And when I also spoke to him about the fact that the Israelis are taking territory, they have had a major bombing campaign against the storehouses of what was the Syrian military.

And interestingly, too, when I said, look, I think people won't believe you necessarily. He said, I'm only really concerned about what Syrians think. I'm not really concerned about what the rest of the world thinks. And when I also spoke to him about the fact that the Israelis are taking territory, they have had a major bombing campaign against the storehouses of what was the Syrian military.

He said the country's exhausted. They can't possibly go to war with anybody and can't anyway, don't have the capacity. So what he's trying to do is reach out in diplomatic ways to other parts of the world. And he has been talking to the Americans. He's been talking to the French. He's been talking to the British. And he's been talking a lot to the United Nations.

He said the country's exhausted. They can't possibly go to war with anybody and can't anyway, don't have the capacity. So what he's trying to do is reach out in diplomatic ways to other parts of the world. And he has been talking to the Americans. He's been talking to the French. He's been talking to the British. And he's been talking a lot to the United Nations.

The Israelis essentially think that the Western countries are deluding themselves. These people are certainly Islamists. They may well be jihadists. They come from that background. Don't take any risks. Bomb them to blazes. Bomb away their military infrastructure and safeguard the country that way. On the other hand, there are those who believe...

The Israelis essentially think that the Western countries are deluding themselves. These people are certainly Islamists. They may well be jihadists. They come from that background. Don't take any risks. Bomb them to blazes. Bomb away their military infrastructure and safeguard the country that way. On the other hand, there are those who believe...

In Western countries, it's necessary to deal with Syria and try to make it into a stable country. Now, the new rulers of this country say that they are Islamists, but they want to have a pluralistic, diverse society. Of course, it's only a week, so it's a bit too early to say the way that it will go. Syrians lost agency as individuals to the regime for half a century.

In Western countries, it's necessary to deal with Syria and try to make it into a stable country. Now, the new rulers of this country say that they are Islamists, but they want to have a pluralistic, diverse society. Of course, it's only a week, so it's a bit too early to say the way that it will go. Syrians lost agency as individuals to the regime for half a century.

The country itself ceased to be the arbiter of its own affairs during the war when a lot of foreign countries intervened in what was going on, not least the neighbors. And I think that one of the big questions for the future of Syria, and a lot of Syrians have said to me, but for goodness sake, the rest of the world, just leave us alone.

The country itself ceased to be the arbiter of its own affairs during the war when a lot of foreign countries intervened in what was going on, not least the neighbors. And I think that one of the big questions for the future of Syria, and a lot of Syrians have said to me, but for goodness sake, the rest of the world, just leave us alone.

This country is really, large areas are absolutely destroyed. Over the years, I've traveled extensively around it. And really, wherever you go, I mean, there are some areas, say north of Hama, every village, every town is rubble. Large parts of the suburbs of Damascus are rubble. So how on earth, I mean, to rebuild would be billions and billions and billions.

This country is really, large areas are absolutely destroyed. Over the years, I've traveled extensively around it. And really, wherever you go, I mean, there are some areas, say north of Hama, every village, every town is rubble. Large parts of the suburbs of Damascus are rubble. So how on earth, I mean, to rebuild would be billions and billions and billions.

So if the Gulf oil states got involved, the Saudis or the Emiratis, Well, they wouldn't want to just give them money. They would want something in return for that. So I think perhaps it is a bit of a pipe dream to hope that Syria will be left alone.