Highlights from interview with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa

By Samia Nakhoul, Timour Azhari and Maya Gebeily

DAMASCUS (Reuters) - Below are highlights from a Reuters interview with Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa conducted on Monday.

ON VIOLENCE ALONG SYRIA'S COAST

"Before carrying our military operation to liberate Syria, we made many contacts with the Alawite, Druze and Christian sects in the country. We built some bridges of trust between us and them. This helped us a lot to enter the battle smoothly. We also instructed our forces before starting the military campaign to take into account entering areas that are somewhat sensitive, and to prevent any cases of revenge and retaliation."

"Many of the parties that lost in the battle of Syria and benefited from the old state in Syria worked on plans to return to Syria by inciting sectarian strife and conflicts."

"This wasn't the first attempt in the coast. There were several attempts, the last of which was about a month and a half ago, to try to destabilize Syria. We put them down through political means and through relations, and they went without significant harm."

"After we entered areas where we expected this type of massacre to happen, we increased the presence of security forces in them to maintain civil peace."

"Some of the members of the former regime and those who were participating in the regime's large massacres, notably the Fourth Division with its regional affiliations that you know, carried out a large military attack in the coastal region."

"This led to the killing of many security forces and some civilians, including Alawites."

"We directed the military forces to confront these military complications, but many parties entered the Syrian coast and many violations occurred, some of which were internal and local between those in the coast, and some of which were from groups that came from outside."

"The Syrian coast was liberated about three months ago. A month and a half ago, an agreement was reached between the armed factions to join the army. Joining the army does not mean that the process has ended. There is a long programme."

"There are also loose weapons in Syria. We emphasize that weapons must be controlled inside Syria and we are working on that gradually, but it takes time."

"We formed a fact-finding committee, which also included legal experts, and we gave them deadlines to investigate the facts and verify the videos we saw, including of random killings. We also sent another committee to preserve peace, meaning reconciliation between people, because blood begets more blood."

"This committee is made up of the people of the region, including those from the two large sects there."

ON COUNTERING GROUPS USING VIOLENCE AGAINST CIVILIANS

"We confirm that Syria is a state of law. The law will take its course on all. We fought to defend the oppressed, and we won't accept that any blood be shed unjustly, or goes without punishment or accountability, even among those closest to us."

When asked if groups from his defense ministry were involved in the violence, he said: "We need an investigation. There are many ideas, but I do not have specifics or solid proof."

ON THE ROLE OF OUTSIDE PARTIES IN SYRIA

"There were clear statements from some regional countries that they want to destabilize the situation in Syria. There are some parties that lost out from the new reality in Syria and are trying to reestablish themselves and they only have these cheap means. We have seen their presence in more than one state, focusing on sectarian strife, spreading captagon, and political corruption. These are three components that are present in any country they enter. But we do not yet have clear evidence on which to build conclusions or practical steps."

ON MEASURES TO REASSURE ALAWITES AFTER THE VIOLENCE

"I sent many committees to reassure people and bring them back. A large number of them returned. They were afraid of something, but when we removed the factions and some of those (fighters) who entered randomly, we sent many committees to bring them back to the country. God willing, everyone will return."

ON ISRAEL'S CHARGES AGAINST SYRIA'S GOVERNMENT

"We are trying to use patience and wisdom as much as possible. If there are fears, we have announced from the first moments that Syria will not pose a threat to any state in the region or the world. And if there are expansionist motives, the entire world agreed with Syria to condemn Israel's steps in advancing on Syrian territory."

In response to Israeli accusations that his forces could carry out a cross-border attack into Israel, he said: "I mean, a delusional person can say whatever they want. Every person can imagine that he is suffering from some danger and carry out a preemptive strike and kill. But that is not justifiable."

THE ROLE OF ALAWITES AND OTHER SECTS IN GOVERNMENT

"We do not want to distribute positions in Syria as gifts to sects, ethnicities, and other parties - rather, we distribute positions according to competence."

ON THE DECISION TO DISBAND THE ARMY AND OFFER AMNESTY

"When I expanded the amnesty, I was taking into account civil peace. And I was worried about the excessive talk about transitional justice in a negative way. Because it needs a definition we can rely on. There are people who say they want transitional justice, but they interpret it in their own way. There is a very fine line between transitional justice and risking civil peace. Syrian unity was helped by giving a broad amnesty. This reassured many people."

ON CONTACTS WITH THE TRUMP ADMINISTRATION

"There has not been any direct communication. Via intermediaries, yes."

"First, the administration remains new, and the Syrian file is not on the priority list of the United States of America. I believe this question should be directed to them. Syria's door is open for communication with any state."

ON DISCUSSIONS WITH RUSSIA AND FUTURE RELATIONS

"Russia is a major state and Syria has close, old and deep ties with it. Through the liberation battle, we took this issue into account. We tolerated the bombardment and did not target them directly in order to make room for meetings and dialogue between us after liberation."

"What has happened until this moment is that we agreed to review the old agreements between Russia and Syria, but we have not had time yet to get into the details of the deal's format."

"We do not want there to be a rift between Syria and Russia, and we do not want the Russian presence in Syria to pose a danger or threat to any country in the world, and we want to preserve these deep strategic relations."

Asked whether Syria had made a request to Russia to hand over Bashar al-Assad, he said: "I would like to refrain from answering this question."

ON SANCTIONS IMPOSED ON SYRIA

"Syria has the tasks of establishing security after the chaos that has occurred and this is closely linked to building the economy, which cannot be done except with lifting sanctions.

We cannot control security in the country while sanctions are imposed on us."

ON BEING IN THE PALACE ONCE USED BY ASSAD

"To be honest, my chest tightens in this palace. I'm astonished by how much evil against society emanated from every corner. I have a balcony that overlooks Damascus. When I look at Damascus every day, I say: how could the previous regime look at Damascus and feel comfortable with what was happening there."

"I am determined to transform the palace so that it can produce good for Syria."

ON THE TIMETABLE TO FORM A NEW GOVERNMENT

"Soon, God willing. There is a constitutional declaration that must precede the government formation which will hopefully come soon. Right after that, we will announce the government in a short time."

Asked if that would happen in March as previously stated, he said: "God willing."

(Reporting by Samia Nakhoul, Timour Azhari and Maya Gebeily, Editing by William Maclean)