TURKEY: Syrian opposition in Turkey says President Bashar al-Assad's speech marks a turning point in the Syrian government's policy and a "rupture with its Arab environment"

Record ID: 276312

  • Title: TURKEY: Syrian opposition in Turkey says President Bashar al-Assad's speech marks a turning point in the Syrian government's policy and a "rupture with its Arab environment"
  • Date: 11th January 2012
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JANUARY 10, 2012) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF CHAIRMAN OF SYRIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL BURHAN GHALIOUN AND SPOKESWOMAN BASMA QADMANI HOLDING NEWS CONFERENCE (SOUNDBITE) (Arabic) CHAIRMAN OF SYRIAN NATIONAL COUNCIL BURHAN GHALIOUN SAYING: "Now it has become very clear that the Syrian regime has refused this initiative and the only solution is in the direction of th
  • Embargoed: 26th January 2012 12:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey, Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVA3LHBYT9PZHI0D969KDYBA61HD
  • Story Text: The Syrian opposition in Turkey called on the United Nations Security Council to take action against President Bashar al-Assad who blamed "foreign planning" for a 10-month-old popular uprising in which thousands of people have been killed and vowed to strike "terrorists with an iron fist" on Tuesday (January 10).
    Syrian National Council Chairman Burhan Ghalioun told a news conference in Istanbul that the only solution to the ten-month old revolt against Assad was to "request we work with the [United Nations] Security Council to get international protection."
    Syrian National Council spokeswoman Basma Qadmani said - through his speech - Assad had severed ties with the Arab world.
    "I think our concern today is that such a speech is quite indicative of the dismissal, the total dismissal by the regime of the international community - this time it is the Arab League.. This is a turning point in terms of a rupture with its Arab environment."
    In the Syrian president's 100-minute speech, his first public address since June, he made scathing remarks about the Arab League, which has sent monitors to check Syria's compliance with an Arab peace plan after suspending it from the 22-member body in November.
    Since the uprising began, Assad has responded with a mixture of repression and promises of reform and dialogue. Opposition forces say the bloodshed shows the real face of a leader whose family has ruled Syria for more than four decades.
    The United Nations says more than 5,000 people have been killed by security forces trying to suppress anti-Assad demonstrations that erupted in March, inspired by a wave of revolts against Arab autocrats across the Middle East.
    Syrian authorities say foreign-backed armed "terrorists" have killed 2,000 members of the security forces.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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