As he stressed he was proud to defend his nation, UN envoy to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari said he had death threats and personal attacks by media in the Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

As he stressed he was proud to defend his nation, UN envoy to the UN Bashar al-Jaafari said he had death threats and personal attacks by media in the Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

The envoy told the UN General Assembly he was "proud to defend the interests of my nation against all conspiracies."
But in countering a resolution condemning his government, Jaafari hit out at the death threats and at personal attacks he said had been made by the media in Saudi Arabia and Qatar.

"There have been several threats of murder against me and various Syrian diplomats from sites that exist in Saudi Arabia and Qatar and the United States," Jaafari told the 193-member assembly before the Saudi-sponsored resolution was passed.

"Saudi and Qatari media are no longer satisfied with targeting my country but have targeted me personally and members my family in an immoral way, an unethical way and a shameful way."

He said entire television programs in the two countries devoted to him had "fabricated lies and false statements to distort the reputation of members of my family."

"Diplomacy is one thing but having members of your family targeted for that is something else entirely, and I leave that to your conscience all of you," Jaafari told UN ambassadors in the assembly.
Afterwards, the Syrian envoy told reporters that he had informed US authorities of the threats against him.