Syria regime seeks to reconciliate with defectors in Europe: minister

(Zaman Al Wasl)- Syria's regime decided to transform the “reconciliation” experience which it used to call it “return to the lap of homeland” to Europe announcing the formation of “Central Committee for Popular Reconciliation in Europe”.

Faisal Qashasha who named himself the “head of main committee for national popular reconciliation” published a statement saying he was assigned by minister of reconciliation in regime government to form the Central Committee for National Popular Reconciliation in Europe. 

The statement included Abdul Masih al-Shami known for his links with regime intelligence and his frequent appearance on TV in defense of the regime.

Based on the assignment by Haydar, minister of reconciliation, Qashasha in his turn assigned Abdul Masih al-Shami and Sabah Kasuha to form the reconciliations committee in Europe and for the headquarters to be in Berlin where a huge number of Syrians live in Germany, the biggest host of Syrians in Europe.

Abdul Masih al-Shami is quite known by Syrians, but Sabah Kasuseh is not. He is the person which Zaman al-Wasl data says he currently resides in Germany.

It is not known how Kasuha is related to intelligence officer Michel Salem Kasuha but they are from the same family and same city, al-Qusaiyr.

Kasuha is known to have been active as regime agent and reporter at the outbreak of the revolution. he was a member in al-Qusayir municipality and he had a mobile phone store. He appeared in one of al-Dunya TV reports. Al-Dunya TV which is famous for fabricating photos, facts and testimonies (he appeared wearing glasses in the 3rd minute of the video).

On the other hand, his relative Brigadier-general Michel Kasuha was known for his intelligence role in his post in the General Intelligence Administration and it is said that Kasuha was heavily involved in recruiting mercenaries “nationalists” especially from Egypt to fight in regime ranks.

It is also said that Michel Kasuha has contributed in a major way in misinforming the Vatican about the situation of Christians in al-Qusaiyr city after rebels seized the city to the degree that Vatican adopted Kasuha’s narrative-the regime intelligence representative- and accused the Free Syrian Army (FSA) of forcibly displacing Christians there.

In contrast and ironically, the European Union in mid-2012 had released new sanction list against a number of regime figures where Kasuha was listed as “Michel Kasuha known in the name Ahmad Salem or Ahmad Salem Hasan. Born in February 1948. He is a member in the Syrian intelligence since the 70s and involved in fighting the regime opposition in France and Germany. Since March 2006, he became in charge of public relations in the 273 Security Branch subordinate to General Intelligence Administration. He is an old member in the administrative team and close to Chief of General Intelligence Administration Ali Mamlouk who is listed on the European sanction list since May 9, 2011. Kasuha is involved in suppressing and tracking down regime opponents inside and outside of Syria.”

Syrians’ dream

To return to “reconciliations’ center” which regime is working to launch from Berlin, Abdul Masih al-Shami commented saying, “the time has come to resolve the conflict for all Syrians abroad who were dreaming (notice the word dreaming) of settling their legal situations and return home and to be with their loved ones again.”

Al-Shami continued, “we were assigned today, I am Abdul Masih al-Shami and Sabah Kasuha under the due assignment statement released by the main National Popular Reconciliation Committee subordinate to ministry of reconciliation in Syria to form the central committee for popular national reconciliation in Europe. 

In accordance with this assignment, the committee would have started its work officially.”

Al-Shami stated that a foundation conference will be held in Berlin with the regime embassy, adding that, “the names of committee members will be announced in the conference.

Al-Shami said the committee will launch a Facebook page in a week and will allocate, “more than one hotline to receive calls and requests from all Syrians abroad.”

Al-Shami finished his comment saying, “a thousand congratulations for us for this achievement which will stop the suffering of many Syrians living abroad.”