Shaaban: Syria Has Passed Most Dangerous Moment

An adviser to President Bashar Assad, Bouthaina Shaaban, assured that the crisis Syria witnesses "has passed and that the government wants to use what happened to Syria as an opportunity to try to move forward on many levels, especially the political level."

In an interview with The New York Times, Shaaban said that Syria's embattled government has ridden out the worst of a roiling seven-week uprising. 

"I hope we are witnessing the end of the story," Shaaban said adding "I think now we've passed the most dangerous moment. I hope so, I think so." 

Shaaban further pointed out "We want to use what happened to Syria as an opportunity, we see it as an opportunity to try to move forward on many levels, especially the political level."

She also clarified that the Syrian rebels are made up of fanatics, extremists, smugglers, and ex-convicts who are being used to cause trouble. Shaaban also said that the comments of US President Barack Obama and His Secretary of State Hillary Clinton "are not so bad".