Report: Syrian Foreign Ministry Spokesman Makdissi Present in Lebanon
إقرأ هذا الخبر بالعربية
Syrian foreign ministry spokesman Jihad Makdissi is currently residing in Lebanon, OTV channel reported on Saturday, after media speculations over his whereabouts.
According to the channel the Syrian official hasn't formally defected the Syrian regime.
OTV reported that there is no restriction on Makdissi's movement in Beirut.
On December 3, the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said the spokesman had been "pressured by people inside the presidential palace, but not the president himself, to resign" and had traveled to London with his family.
However, in the first reaction from Damascus regarding the information that surfaced about a possible defection by the longtime loyalist to President Bashar Assad, Syrian pro-government daily al-Watan said on December 11 that Makdissi has taken sanctioned leave for three months.
A native Arabic speaker and fluent in French and English, Makdissi conducted his thesis in London while working for the Syrian embassy.
The Christian native of Damascus was called back to the Syrian capital soon after an uprising against Assad broke out in March last year to assume the post of foreign ministry spokesman.
He later relocated his wife and two children to Beirut, where he would visit them on the weekends.
22 December 2012, 18:16
07
His presence isn't a present.... Or shall I say un cadeau encombrant. merry xmas ;-)
Anyway guys.... I'm feeling a little ill with chest pain et left arm, tried reaching my doctor in vain. Should you not hear from me soon, then you know what happened...
Regards everyone.
22 December 2012, 18:29
12
Are you gona open a 40 day 3aza for bashagh ghegime soon lol? you will return to your proper size soon, this region belongs to the Arabs and not to the iranians. Iran and israel two enenmies of the Arabs and two faces of the same coin.
22 December 2012, 19:53
02
Salemtak benzona ...... meanwhile the best medicine is rest, relaxation, exercise and laughter. It could be just chest pain due to stress, so do not stress out over it.
22 December 2012, 18:28
05
They burned his house in Mazze, then they said that he went on vacation for 3 months! lol, most likely they have important relatives of his under the knife and this is why he did not 'defect'. The day will come soon when we see the M8'ers praising the Syrian revolution and kissing rebel asses. Lebanese politicians are artists in switching the rifle from one shoulder to the other, there are no principles. Ask Aoun, those very Mig fighter jets bombed his palace and sent him to france where he learned nothig about democracy, he then returned to become pro bashagh lol, this idiot is always on the losing side.
22 December 2012, 18:47
03
realist ..... this is my take from someone who synthesizes a lot with M14 notion of Sovereignty and Independence.
As much as I hated M8 kissing up to the Assad and Iranian regimes, I would hate for them or for M14ers to be kissing up to the FSA or whatever the new regime in Syria will be. I would like to see the Lebanese united under the flag where we will be Lebanese FIRST, then Arabs, Christians, Shiites, Sunnis, Druze and whatever ethnic or sectarian identity one has...... but LEBANESE in mind and soul first and last. I would like M8 to disarm before the other camp starts arming and inviting FSA fighters in. It is wrong for any party to seek help from outsiders to gain upper hand in Lebanese politics.
23 December 2012, 00:22
11
i agree with you helicopter, and rafic hariri died trying to create the vision you are describing. I do not wish to see lebanon torn by fundamentalist islamic war, that is the worse nightmare; however, i am a realist and i think the chances of that happening are really high unless hizbustan's arrogance subsides and they make real peace with the suni lebanese. I sadly do not see that happening and it looks like it will take another civil war for those folks to understand that no one sect can take over lebanon.
23 December 2012, 03:40
01
Seems all the bastards are coming to Lebanon for one reason or another. Who's next? bashar?
