From the first day I took the decision as President to defend my country.

Syria is geographically and politically in the middle of the Middle East. That is why we are in contact with most of the problems forever, let us say, whether directly or indirectly.

I will tell [Barack Obama] very simply : present what you have as evidence to the public, be transparent.

The problem with the West is that they start with political reform going towards democracy.

I am Syrian, I was made in Syria, I have to live in Syria and die in Syria.

At the end, killing is killing. Massacring is massacring.

This is where we can discuss the evidence [of the chemical weapons ], but he doesn't have it. He didn't present it because he doesn't have it, Kerry doesn't have it. No one in your administration has it. If they had it, they would have presented it to you as media from the first day.