CAIRO (MCT) — On a stage once commanded by his brutal father, President Bashar Assad blamed foreign conspiracies for Syria’s unrest in a national speech Wednesday that sought to steel his family dynasty against a rebellion similar to those that have toppled regimes across the region.
It was to have been a defining moment for a president confronting a revolt in the provinces and power struggles within his inner circle. But Assad, who painted himself as a visionary and the tough son of his late father, Hafez, made no dramatic promises or sweeping concessions to end weeks of bloodshed.
The speech instead alluded to well-worn conspiracy theories, media distortion and the hidden hand of Israel for sparking uprisings that have killed more than 60 protesters. Assad said that the reforms demonstrators were calling for, including the lifting of emergency law and wider political freedoms, were among existing proposals that would be enacted this year.
“There are no hurdles to reforms, but there are delays,” said Assad, who received a standing ovation when he entered Parliament.
