"In this regard, Israel still occupies our Golan and this is a topic that preoccupies us. The liberation of our territory is at the top of our national priorities and is as important to us as the achievement of a just and comprehensive peace that we have adopted as our strategic choice, but not at the expense of our territory nor at the expense of our sovereignty. Our territory and our sovereignty are a matter of national dignity and no one at all is allowed to compromise any of them."
From HE’s First Presidential Term Inauguration Speech
"We would like to achieve peace because it is our strategic choice and because the Syrian people have always been, through history, peace lovers and because we would love to restore our beloved Golan complete and because we want its people to go back to their HOMEs, but we are not ready to give up an inch of our territory nor to achieve peace at the expense of our national sovereignty. Our brave people on the Golan will always be today and tomorrow and for ever Arab Syrians because no matter how long it might take this land will always be ours and will be returned complete to us one day sooner or later. We are not prepared to pay the price of the helplessness of the Israeli governments and their inability to make decisions that push the peace process forward at the expense of our sovereignty and dignity."
From HE’s First Presidential Term Inauguration Speech
"We want the Golan, the Syrian land. Syria puts no conditions for this hence the Golan was but her own right,'' "Not a single day passes without the Syrians talk of and work for peace; this is our aim, this very aim is the hope where all of us have interest in lasting and genuine peace"
From HE’s Interview with the French Television .
"Withdrawing settlers and troops from Gaza certainly is not a bad move. Nevertheless, that alone will not bring peace. Peace is only possible when all relevant UN resolutions have been fulfilled, and they include the return of the West Bank and East Jerusalem, the repatriation of refugees, the return of the Golan Heights and the question of an independent Palestine."
From HE’s Interview with the German SPIEGEL
I still want to greet, on your behalf and on behalf of every Syrian citizen, our steadfast Syrian brothers and sisters in the occupied Golan. Instead of talking about the international legitimacy resolutions, let us talk about the essence and the substance. As far as we are concerned, these resolutions are the land. So, we salute those who prove everyday the truthfulness of their loyalty to their people and their HOMEland and prove their deep belonging to the causes and dignity of their people and defy with their strong will the Israeli oppression machine. "
From a Speech by HE at Damascus University
"We assure you that we are with you in our hearts and capabilities, and that the Golan will remain at the center of the causes before us so that it returns to its HOMEland, Syria. "
From a Speech by HE at Damascus University
"L'accordo era sulla restituzione del Golan a eccezione di una fascia larga cento metri lungo il Lago di Tiberiade. All'ultimo istante Barak si tirò indietro. Fu preso dal timore prima di salire a bordo dell'aereo che doveva condurlo al vertice. Capì che Israele non era pronto alla pace, che lui non aveva un sostegno politico alle spalle. E invece la Siria era pronta. Già con Rabin avevamo sfiorato la pace. Poi Rabin è stato ucciso, e con lui le speranze."
From HE’s Interview with the Italian La Repubblica