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This
is the most important principle in national activity for, in
the first place, it provides the clue to the sincerity and
integrity of national militants, and in the second place it
directs their energies towards the interest of the Syrian
nation and its welfare. It is the criterion by which all
national movements and actions are judged. Through this
criterion, the SSNP excels all other political factions in
Syria, to say nothing of its obvious excellence in other
respects. The SSNP aims at serving the concrete interests of
the Syrians and at meeting their common needs and aims.
There is no longer a need to seek in vain the definition of
national endeavor in the domain of the abstract and the
impracticable. This principle centers all other principles
round the interest of the nation so that Syrians are no
longer misled by the teachings of those who would serve
contrary interests.
The
life of the nation is a concrete reality and so are its
interests. The success of the SSNP in bringing about this
amazing national revival in our country is due, in great
measure, to the fact that the Party seeks to serve the
genuine interests of the Syrian nation and assert its will
to
life.
Syria
embodies our social character, faculties, ideals, our
outlook on life, art and the universe. It is the symbol of
our honor, dignity and destiny. That is why our loyalty to
Syria must transcend all personal interests and
considerations.
This is the central
operational principle that guides the struggle and militancy
of the SSNP for the establishment of the new order and
renaissance in Syria. It does not imply only complete
devotion to the cause of the nation and homeland, but puts
the onus of extreme care on the shoulders of the SSNP
constituency. This principle links extreme devotion with the
responsibility of seeking the best for the Syrian nation.
This link needs to be understood on moral and practical
levels. The romanticism of good-intended deeds is
unacceptable in national struggle because the cause is too
great to allow for a less than intensely prepared approach.
While laudable, devotion to the cause of the nation is
insufficient. A serious and responsible preparation is
necessary to safeguard the interests of Syria. Thus to serve
the genuine interests of the Syrian nation, the SSN P does
not offer only a devoted constituency, but also a well
thought out doctrine and plan. This principle closes the
series of basic principles for two important reasons. Both
reasons reflect the indissoluble unity of these principles.
The first reason is that the doctrine and plan embodied in
the preceding principles find their operational vehicle in
this principle. The second reason is that this principle is
not useful to the nation separated from the preceding
principles. The organic unity of the basic principles
distinguishes the SSNP from other political groups. The SSNP
does not contend that it is the only party devoted to the
Syrian nation, but it asserts that the vehicle of this
devotion is what really affects the destiny of Syria.
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