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Assad willing to promote political reform following Egyptian protests

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The Wall Street Journal reported on Sunday that Syrian President Bashar Assad said he will promote political and economic reform in Syria. Assad’s comments came as a response to anti-government protests in the region in Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen. It was reported that an increasing number of calls for a mass protest in Syria were being posted on Facebook. The organisers for this protest are calling on the public to take to the streets on 5 February in a peaceful demonstration demanding an improvement in living standards, human rights and freedom of speech for all Syrian citizens. President Assad also noted that a “new era” has taken place in the Middle East since the protests took place. “If you didn’t see the need of reform before what happened in Egypt and Tunisia, it’s too late to do any reform,” Assad said.

Assad added that pressure he will face from the Syrian people will not be as strong as the Egyptian protests because Syria has not engaged diplomatically with the US and Israel. “Syria is stable. Why? Because you have to be very closely linked to the beliefs of the people. This is the core issue. When there is divergence…you will have this vacuum that creates disturbances,” he noted. Assad took over power from his father, Hafez, in 2000. Hafez Assad held the presidency in Syria for three decades.