Faisal Mekdad
Faisal Mekdad (Arabic: فيصل المقداد; Born 1954) is the Syrian Deputy-Foreign Minister and former Permanent Envoy to the United Nations.[1]
Faisal Mekdad فيصل المقداد | |
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Deputy Minister of Foreign Affairs | |
Assumed office 2006 | |
President | Bashar al-Assad |
Preceded by | Walid Muallem |
11th Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations | |
In office 2003–2006 | |
Preceded by | Mikhail Wehbe |
Succeeded by | Bashar Jaafari |
Personal details | |
Born | 1954 (age 65–66) Ghasm, Syria |
Nationality | Syrian |
Children | 3 |
Alma mater | Damascus University, Charles University in Prague |
Profession | Politician |
Life and education
Faisal Mekdad was born in the village of Ghasm in Daraa Governorate in 1954. He graduated in 1978 from Damascus University with a degree in English. He later got his PhD in English Literature from Charles University in Prague in 1993.[2] While at Charles University, he was a part of the International Union of Students.[3]
Work
After graduating from Charles University, Mekdad became a diplomat in the Syrian Foreign Ministry. In 1995, he became a member of the Permanent Syrian Delegation to the United Nations where he represented Syria in numerous conferences. He was appointed as the Deputy to the Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations, under Mikhail Wehbe.[2]
In 2003, Mekdad became the Permanent Representative of Syria to the United Nations, a position he held until 2006, when he was appointed as Deputy-Foreign Minister.[2]
Syrian Revolution
Mekdad has denied accusations of his government's alleged crackdown on protesters after the start of the Syrian Civil War. He has held interviews with Western and Arab Media outlets about the uprising, where he has spoken in support of Bashar al-Assad.[3] He has promoted the government's claim that his government is fighting armed terrorist insurgents, and when asked by a BBC reporter whether he believes his government is winning the war, he responded saying "We shall win it, we are winning it, yes." [4] Mekdad was a part of the delegation representing the Syrian government during the Geneva II Conference on Syria. The other members with him were Bashar Jaafari, Omran al-Zoubi, Bouthaina Shaaban, Walid Muallem, and Luna Shabal.[5]
Family
Faisal Mekdad is married with one son and two daughters.[2] Mekdad's father was kidnapped by gunmen on 18 May 2013 in his village of Ghasm.[6]
References
- "Syrians pressed on Hariri inquiry". BBC. 26 August 2005. Retrieved 10 December 2010.
- "صحيفة الثورة". thawra.alwehda.gov.sy.
- https://web.archive.org/web/20140407064158/http://middle-east.we-magazine.net/ionadmin/site/showTopic/6a9c5e81-247f-43f7-874e-8fe646887674. Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Missing or empty
|title=
(help) - "Syria minister Faisal Mekdad says 'we are winning the war'". BBC.
- "Archived copy". Archived from the original on 2014-04-07. Retrieved 2014-04-02.CS1 maint: archived copy as title (link)
- "Father of Assad spokesman kidnapped". 18 May 2013 – via www.bbc.com.