Lamia al-Hariri
Lamia al-Hariri | |
|---|---|
| Born | Lamia al-Hariri |
| Nationality | Syrian |
| Occupation | Diplomat |
| Relatives | Farouk al Sharaa (uncle) |
Lamia al Hariri is Syria's former charge d'affaires in the Republic of Cyprus who defected to Qatar in July 2012.[1][2]
Early life
Hariri was born in Daraa to a Sunni family.[3] She is niece of Farouk al Sharaa, vice president of Syria.
Career and defection
Hariri was appointed to Nicosia as Syrian charge d'affaires in November 2010.[4][5] Her defection was reported by Al Jazeera on 24 July 2012.[6] Two members of the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) confirmed her defection on 25 July 2012.[7] Al Arabiya reported that she joined the opposition. She then went to Qatar and she is still there.[1] She left the embassy on 20 July 2012 after a petrol bomb attack occurred in the embassy in Nicosia.[8] Before she left the embassy, she had told her staff that she was leaving for a ‘short break’ at the weekend, but did not report back for work on 23 July 2012.[8] On 25 July 2012, her husband Abdelatif al-Dabbagh, former Syrian ambassador to the United Arab Emirates, also defected to Qatar and joined his wife, Lamia al Hariri.[3] His defection was also confirmed by SNC spokesman Mohammad Sarmini.[9]
On 26 July 2012, SANA issued a statement of Syria Foreign Ministry, stating that Lamia al Hariri was not an ambassador, but a diplomat working at the Syrian Embassy in Cyprus and that her mission was to manage the Embassy's affairs until an ambassador or charge d'affaires is appointed.[10]
Her defection is significant due to several reasons. Firstly, it was the second defection of a Syrian diplomat in July 2012 after that of Nawaf al Fares. The other one is that she is niece of Syrian vice president Farouk al-Sharaa.[11]
References
{
- ^ a b "Syrian Ambassador to Cyprus Joins Opposition". The Journal of Turkish Weekly. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ "Syrian diplomats 'defect' as Aleppo fighting worsens". BBC. 26 July 2012. Retrieved 26 July 2012.
- ^ a b "Syria's ambassador to the UAE defects, joins his defected wife in Qatar: sources". Al Arabiya. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ "Syrian Chargé d'Affaires in Nicosia defects". Cyprus Mail. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ "Syria envoy to Cyprus defects". Fagamusta Gazette. 24 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ "Syria envoy to Cyprus defects, joins opposition, as clashes break out in Aleppo". Haaretz. DPA. 24 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ "Syrian envoy to Cyprus defects to Qatar: SNC". MSNBC. Reuters. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ a b "Silence at the Syrian Embassy in Cyprus as Al-Hariri defects". Famagusta Gazette. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ "Syrian ambassadors to Emirates, Cyprus defect". Chicago Tribune. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012.
- ^ "Foreign Ministry: Ambassador al-Dabbagh Was off Duty in Abu Dhabi since June 4th" (Press Release). SANA. 26 July 2012. Retrieved 27 July 2012.
- ^ "Syrian envoy to Cyprus defects". Al Jazeera. 25 July 2012. Retrieved 25 July 2012.