Assad made no new announcement on Wednesday on lifting emergency law, in force since 1963, in his first comments since pro-democracy protests erupted nearly two weeks ago.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad made no new announcement on Wednesday on lifting emergency law, in force since 1963, in his first comments since pro-democracy protests erupted nearly two weeks ago.
Adviser Bouthaina Shaaban said last week that Syrian authorities would lift emergency law in the country, but she did not give a timetable.
Assad also said that Syria is the target of a “conspiracy” to sow sectarian strife, but some Syrians who have demonstrated against his rule had legitimate demands.
“We cannot say that everyone who went out (in the streets) is a conspirator. Let us be clear about that,” Assad told a session of parliament, in the first public comments since protests erupted in southern Syria and spread to the centre and the coast.”
Assad said on Wednesday that a minority of people had tried to “spark chaos” in the southern city of Deraa, centre of recent protests, but that they would be thwarted by the majority.
He also said that clear instructions had been issued to security forces not to harm anyone during the protests, in which at least 61 people have died.
He was addressing parliament in his first public comments since protests erupted in Deraa nearly two weeks ago and spread to other cities.
Source: Agencies