Muhsen Bilal (Arabic: محسن بلال) (born 1944) is a Syriansurgeon, ambassador and Ba'athist politician.
Early life and education
Bilal was born into a prominent Alawite family in Burghalieh, Tartus Governorate, in 1944.[1][2] His father lived in Argentina between 1930 and 1936, where he worked as an Arabic teacher.[3] He studied medicine at the University of Padua, graduating in 1970.[2] In 1976, he specialized in surgery in Italy.[2] Then he received his PhD in medicine and surgery from the University of Pennsylvania with the specialization in liver transplantation.[2] Bilal married Dr. Faten Rustum, a prominent fellow doctor.
His political career started in 1977 when he was elected to the Peoples Assembly. In 1981, he was named the chairman of the Arab and foreign affairs committee,[6] and served in this position until 1985. He led the Syrian delegation at the 1982 World Peace Conference in Prague. In 2001, he became Syria's ambassador to Spain, and he held this post until he was appointed minister of information to the cabinet headed by then prime minister Mohammad Naji Otari in February 2006.[6][7] He replaced Mahdi Dakhlallah as information minister.[1] When Bilal was in office, he acted as chief spokesperson for the Syrian government during the Israel-Hezbollah war in 2006.[8] Bilal's term ended in April 2011 when he was succeeded by Adnan Mahmoud.[9]
Personal life
Bilal speaks Arabic, English, Spanish, and Italian.[4]
References
^ abMoubayed, Sami (16–22 February 2002). "Strengthening the line". Al Ahram Weekly. 782. Archived from the original on 24 December 2012. Retrieved 1 March 2013.
