1.
Chairman: Mr. Ezechiel Joseph » Political Leader: Mr. Allen Chastanet » General Secretary: Mr. Oswald Augustin
Upstairs AF Valmont,
P.O. Box RB 2497,
Rodney Bay,
Gros Islet, Saint Lucia
FOR IMMEDIATE RELEASE: 4th
, September, 2013
CONTACT:
UWP CHALLENGES LABOUR PARTY GOVERNMENT
TO STATE POISTION ON SYRIA
Saint Lucians who witness the atrocities of the Syrian Regime against its people are curious about the position of
their Government This is in light of the recent
foreign policy review which was conducted by a committee headed by Dr. Vaughn Lewis. It is well established that
the ALBA alliance is resolute in their support of Syrian Dictator Bashar al-­‐Assad of Syria given the fact that Syria has
observer status in ALBA.
During a February, 2012 meeting of ALBA territories, the leftist bloc issued a statement which stated as follows:
"The heads of state and government of the Bolivarian Alliance (ALBA) reiterate their condemnation of the
systematic policy of interference and destabilization in the brother Arab Republic of Syria which (the policy)
. In a Press Conference held on October
10th
, 2011 with Syrian Foreign Minister Walid Al Moallem, members of an ALBA delegation which visited Syria as a
show of support denounced what they called a "Conspiracy" against the Syrian government and blasted the
"expansionist intentions of the US and its allies and their attempts to destabilize Syria".
It is well known that one of the leading ALBA member territories has been making shipments of oil to the Syrian
regime as a demonstration of the policy of support. We now know of the eminent US strike against Syria following
the heartless snuffing out of almost 1500 lives in a Damascus suburb last week by the Assad regime through the
use of chemical munitions.
Against this scenario, the Government of Saint Lucia is called upon to indicate where it stands with respect to the
Syrian crisis. Are we supportive of America and the sentiments of most Saint Lucians to do something about the
suffering of the Syrian people at the hands of the ruthless Assad regime? Or are we standing in solidarity with our
ALBA comrades in propping up the murderous Syrian regime? Perhaps this might be a good opportunity for the
statement.
Ends/