NOT Nicosia. Now banned.
06-12-2013, 11:05 AM
Quote:
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...yria-confusion Nick Griffin, the leader of the British National Party, has waded into controversy about the Syrian crisis by paying a "fact-finding visit" to Damascus as part of a delegation of far-right and nationalist European politicians. Griffin, the MEP for North-west England, used his Twitter account to attack British government calls to arm the rebels who are seeking to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad. "Vile … smells like an abbatoir," Griffin tweeted after being taken to the scene of a suicide bombing that reportedly killed 14 people in central Damascus. "Hague wants your taxes to arm these terrorists!" But there were signs that Syrian government supporters were embarrassed by the high-profile presence of the BNP leader. Loyalists described a "low-level media visit" despite Griffin's meeting with Syria's prime minister, deputy foreign minister and plans to meet the minister of information, who an official confirmed had invited the 28-strong European mission. The foreign ministry did not take the political backgrounds of the visitors into account, insisted Yazan Abdullah, a UK-based Syrian activist who says he supports dialogue and reconciliation. But an official in Damascus contacted by the Guardian expressed surprise at the invitation. BNP spokesman Simon Darby said Griffin was not being paid by the Syrian regime and did not want his presence to be seen as an endorsement of Assad. Anyone entering Syria, as Griffin and the rest of the party did by road from Lebanon, needs a visa. This requires government approval that can often take months to obtain. Other members of his delegation are MEPs and MPs from Belgium, Russia and Poland. The BNP is part of the Alliance of European National Movements in the European parliament. Members include Jobbik – The Movement for a Better Hungary, France's National Front, Italy's Tricolour Flame, Sweden's National Democrats and Belgium's National Front. Damascus has the full support of Russia and Iran, but in recent months the government has stepped up efforts to win sympathy in western countries to capitalise on waning support for the rebels, fading calls for outside intervention, and the rise of extremist jihadi elements such as the Nusra front in the armed opposition. Assad's friend Khaled Mahjoub, an influential Syrian-America businessman, has sought to improve government PR by circumventing slow-moving ministerial bureaucratic machinery to secure visas for journalists and others. In April, the leader of France's Voltaire network, Thierry Meyssan, author of a best-selling book claiming that the 9/11 attacks were an inside job, was in Damascus meeting officials. "What [Griffin] wants is to let people have a proper view of what is going on in Syria, because at the moment all we have is William Hague and his infantile war-mongering," said Darby. "He wants to ascertain just how many British citizens are fighting out there for the so-called Free Syrian Army and other elements opposed to Assad. "He is representing the point of view of ordinary British people who don't want any engagement in the Middle East and its troubles, any more than they wanted to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq. "He is MEP for the North West and he is sick and tired of seeing lads from Manchester and Liverpool coming back in body bags or with arms and legs missing because the government got them involved in business that isn't any concern of ours." On Monday, Griffin updated his Twitter followers on a day in Lebanon, describing Beirut as "less alien than the streets of London". He also praised Hezbollah, the militant Iranian-backed Shia group, who helped the Assad regime recapture the rebel-held city of Qusayr last week.
http://www.guardian.co.uk/politics/2...yria-confusion Nick Griffin, the leader of the British National Party, has waded into controversy about the Syrian crisis by paying a "fact-finding visit" to Damascus as part of a delegation of far-right and nationalist European politicians. Griffin, the MEP for North-west England, used his Twitter account to attack British government calls to arm the rebels who are seeking to overthrow President Bashar al-Assad. "Vile … smells like an abbatoir," Griffin tweeted after being taken to the scene of a suicide bombing that reportedly killed 14 people in central Damascus. "Hague wants your taxes to arm these terrorists!" But there were signs that Syrian government supporters were embarrassed by the high-profile presence of the BNP leader. Loyalists described a "low-level media visit" despite Griffin's meeting with Syria's prime minister, deputy foreign minister and plans to meet the minister of information, who an official confirmed had invited the 28-strong European mission. The foreign ministry did not take the political backgrounds of the visitors into account, insisted Yazan Abdullah, a UK-based Syrian activist who says he supports dialogue and reconciliation. But an official in Damascus contacted by the Guardian expressed surprise at the invitation. BNP spokesman Simon Darby said Griffin was not being paid by the Syrian regime and did not want his presence to be seen as an endorsement of Assad. Anyone entering Syria, as Griffin and the rest of the party did by road from Lebanon, needs a visa. This requires government approval that can often take months to obtain. Other members of his delegation are MEPs and MPs from Belgium, Russia and Poland. The BNP is part of the Alliance of European National Movements in the European parliament. Members include Jobbik – The Movement for a Better Hungary, France's National Front, Italy's Tricolour Flame, Sweden's National Democrats and Belgium's National Front. Damascus has the full support of Russia and Iran, but in recent months the government has stepped up efforts to win sympathy in western countries to capitalise on waning support for the rebels, fading calls for outside intervention, and the rise of extremist jihadi elements such as the Nusra front in the armed opposition. Assad's friend Khaled Mahjoub, an influential Syrian-America businessman, has sought to improve government PR by circumventing slow-moving ministerial bureaucratic machinery to secure visas for journalists and others. In April, the leader of France's Voltaire network, Thierry Meyssan, author of a best-selling book claiming that the 9/11 attacks were an inside job, was in Damascus meeting officials. "What [Griffin] wants is to let people have a proper view of what is going on in Syria, because at the moment all we have is William Hague and his infantile war-mongering," said Darby. "He wants to ascertain just how many British citizens are fighting out there for the so-called Free Syrian Army and other elements opposed to Assad. "He is representing the point of view of ordinary British people who don't want any engagement in the Middle East and its troubles, any more than they wanted to fight in Afghanistan and Iraq. "He is MEP for the North West and he is sick and tired of seeing lads from Manchester and Liverpool coming back in body bags or with arms and legs missing because the government got them involved in business that isn't any concern of ours." On Monday, Griffin updated his Twitter followers on a day in Lebanon, describing Beirut as "less alien than the streets of London". He also praised Hezbollah, the militant Iranian-backed Shia group, who helped the Assad regime recapture the rebel-held city of Qusayr last week.