Syrian President Lashes Out In Hardline Speech Against 'Terrorist' Enemies -- The Telegraph
Syria's embattled President Bashar al-Assad has taken a confrontational stance in a televised speech, vowing to strike "terrorists with an iron fist" and offering no hint of compromise with forces ranged against him.
In his first address since June, Mr Assad engaged only marginally with accusations leveled against his regime of human rights abuses and massacres of activists.
He denied that he had ordered soldiers to fire on civilians, though he admitted they had been authorised to use force in certain circumstances.
He promised, as he has done since the uprising against his rule began in March, that there would be reforms to a more "inclusive" politics, promising a referendum on constitutional change in March.
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MIDDLE EAST
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EUROPE
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