Politics
Syrian president to address nation 'very soon' amid clashes, protests
Updated: 2011-03-28 08:01
(China Daily)
DAMASCUS, Syria - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who is facing unprecedented domestic pressure as protests and clashes erupt across Syria, will address the nation "very soon", his adviser said on Sunday.
"President Assad will address his people very soon to explain the situation and clarify and elaborate on the reforms that have already been decided," Buthaina Shaaban said.
Syrian authorities released on Saturday about 260 political detainees, in another endeavor by the Syrian government to control recent turmoil in the country, media reports said.
The reports said that most of the detainees were Islamists and Kurds, but this was not confirmed by the government.
The move came two days after the government offered a package of concessions, including the release of all detainees involved in southern province of Daraa's recent turmoil, and salary increases for government employees.
Also on Saturday, thousands of people marched in Damascus, waving Syrian flags and chanting slogans supporting Assad.
"We live safely and relaxed in this country, we accept no one but Bashar al-Assad as our president," a demonstrator said.
It is reported that foreign powers are financing and arming groups in Daraa in a bid to divide Syria, the official SANA news agency said without giving further details.
Assad received a phone call from the Turkish Prime Minister Recep Tayyip Erdogan in which Erdogan affirmed that his country stands by Syria, the news agency reported on Saturday. Erdogan underlined the solid Syrian-Turkish relations and hailed the decision for reforms taken by the Syrian leadership recently.
Xinhua-AFP
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