The Syrian government’s chief negotiator is pointing the finger at Europe, claiming that ‘terrorism’ is emanating from the EU.

They claimed before that there was Arab and Islamic terrorism. Today we are victims of European terrorism

As peace talks fall into disarray in Geneva, Bashar Ja’afari has been speaking to euronews about the country’s war and its recent elections.

Faiza Garah, euronews: “You have recently held parliamentary elections that the opposition views as illegal…”

Bashar Ja’afari: “It is the opposition that is not legal. All those who say that these elections are not legal, it is they who are illegal. This is the opinion of a part of the opposition and not all of the opposition.

“You know that when you are dealing with Saudi Arabia for example, they seek what? To destroy to the Syrian state. They do not seek a solution to the Syrian crisis. As you saw they are speculating and they announced they will freeze negotiations. Like children, we have to sweeten them up so they will work and keep to the political process.”

euronews: “Many people say that Syria is no a longer master of its decisions, because there is an intervention from Russia, Hezbollah and Iran..”

Bashar Ja’afari: “Any force, state or authority, which helps us fight terrorism in a clear way and with the coordination of the Syrian army and the Syrian government, is welcome.

“Whether they are allies from Russia, Hezbollah or Iran, they are combating terrorism on Syrian soil in agreement with the Syrian government and at its request.”

euronews: “What is Europe’s role in solving the Syrian crisis?”

Bashar Ja’afari: “Today we have a new phenomenon called European terrorism. They claimed before that there was Arab and Islamic terrorism. Today we are victims of European terrorism, emanating from Brussels, Paris, London, Spain, Germany, Italy…”

euronews: “So you think Europe facilitates terrorism?”

Bashar Ja’afari: “Of course, of course, European governments have facilitated the passage of these terrorists to Syria and Iraq. It’s hard to believe that a terrorist who leaves Paris, London, Brussels, or Boston, or Australia and arrives in Syria without a visa, without a passport, through dozens of states and the Turkish-Syrian or Jordanian-Syrian border, has done so without intelligence services overseeing these operations.”

euronews: “So they are the states you accuse of terrorism?”

Bashar Ja’afari: “Governments are responsible for every terrorist who comes from Europe, whether French, British, Belgian, Spanish or Italian.

“For every terrorist who has come to us, his government is responsible. When the British, French and Australian prime ministers threaten to withdraw the nationality of terrorists returning to Europe, what does it mean? It means that these governments encourage the terrorists to stay in Syria and not to return to Europe.

“If these states really wanted to stop the terrorists striking Syria and Iraq, they would have forbidden the flow of these terrorists from their countries.”

euronews: “Israel has held an unprecedented meeting on the issue of the Golan, why do you think they have done that now?”

Bashar Ja’afari: “We have the support of the United Nations resolution 497, which dates from 1981. The resolution was passed unanimously. It means that the US, France and Britain have agreed it.

“This resolution is extremely important because it categorically prohibits the annexation of the Golan and its occupation. The imposition of its laws on the occupied Golan, the resolution considers that this annexation is invalid, null and with no legal basis.”