Assad Vows to Declare Victory Soon, Slams Arab League for ‘Spreading Sectarian Divisions’
Syrian President Bashar Assad on Tuesday accused foreign parties of seeking to destabilize Syria but stressed that he would not step down over increased demonstrations against him.
"We will declare victory soon," he said in a speech at Damascus University broadcast live on state television.
"When I leave this post it will be also based upon the people's wishes," he said in his first speech since he agreed last month to an Arab League plan to halt the government crackdown on dissent.
Assad repeated his claim that a foreign conspiracy is behind the unrest, and he said it was failing.
"Regional and international parties who are trying to destabilize Syria can no longer falsify the facts and events," the embattled leader said.
"They turned to assassinations... with regional and international media coverage," he said. "After all their attempts failed, the role of foreigners emerged."
Assad slammed the Arab League, saying it helped spread sectarian divisions across the country.
"The first parliament in Syria was in 1917. Where were they then?" he asked about monarchies in the Gulf.
He also threw the ball in the opposition’s court saying the regime was ready to engage in dialogue with it. But opposition forces weren’t willing to do so, Assad said.
“We want a national opposition, not an opposition taking orders from foreign sides,” he stressed.
Turning to what he called terrorism, Assad pledged that his government would tackle it with an "iron fist.”
"There can be no let-up for terrorism -- it must be hit with an iron fist," he said. "Our priority now is to regain security which we basked in for decades."
He also said that a referendum will be held in March on a new constitution to replace the current charter which enshrines his Baath party's dominant role.
"After legislation has been drawn up and a constitution... we will call a referendum... (maybe) in the first week of March." he said, adding that it would be followed by a general election.
Source: Agence France Presse, Associated Press, Naharnet
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