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Opposition rejects Assad's referendum
Source: Agencies |
February 16, 2012, Thursday
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SYRIAN President Bashar Assad has ordered a referendum for later this month on a new constitution that would allow political parties other than his ruling Baath Party, the centerpiece of reforms he has promised to ease the crisis.
The opposition quickly rejected the move, saying the regime was stalling and that Syrians in the uprising would accept nothing less than Assad's resignation.
"The people in the street today have demands, and one of these demands is the departure of this regime," said Khalaf Dahowd, a member of the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change.
The referendum was set to take place February 26. The current Syrian constitution enshrines Assad's Baath Party as the leader of the state. But according to the new draft, "the state's political system is based on political pluralism and power is practiced democratically through voting."
The draft also says the president can hold office only for a maximum of two seven-year terms. Assad, who inherited power from his father, has been in power for nearly 12 years.
Diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis reached a standstill after Russia and China vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Syria. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he will meet his French counterpart today to discuss reworking the resolution.
The opposition quickly rejected the move, saying the regime was stalling and that Syrians in the uprising would accept nothing less than Assad's resignation.
"The people in the street today have demands, and one of these demands is the departure of this regime," said Khalaf Dahowd, a member of the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change.
The referendum was set to take place February 26. The current Syrian constitution enshrines Assad's Baath Party as the leader of the state. But according to the new draft, "the state's political system is based on political pluralism and power is practiced democratically through voting."
The draft also says the president can hold office only for a maximum of two seven-year terms. Assad, who inherited power from his father, has been in power for nearly 12 years.
Diplomatic efforts to solve the crisis reached a standstill after Russia and China vetoed a United Nations Security Council resolution on Syria. Russia's Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov said he will meet his French counterpart today to discuss reworking the resolution.
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