Assad: We reserve the right to respond to Israeli raid
In BBC interview, Syrian president says Israeli air strike in northern Syria last month proved Israel's 'visceral antipathy towards peace.' Referring to regional peace conference, Assad says Syria will only participate if its concerns, including return of Golan Heights, are addressed
The Israeli air strike in northern Syria early in September showed Israel's "visceral antipathy towards peace," Syrian President Bashar Assad told the BBC in an interview Monday.
He said Syria reserved the right to respond to the attack, although he did not specify what that response would be.
Assad said that Syria would not attend the regional peace conference scheduled for November unless the country's concerns were addressed, particularly the return of the Golan Heights.
"If they don't talk about the Syrian occupied territory, no, there's no way for Syria to go there," he stated.
"It should be about comprehensive peace, and Syria is part of this comprehensive peace. Without that, we shouldn't go, we wouldn't go."
Assad stressed that any opportunity to promote peace was important, but was skeptical about the summit's potential success. He added that Syria needed more details about the conference before it decided whether or not to attend it.
"So far we didn't have the invitation and we didn't have any clarification about anything," he told the BBC.
