On President Bashar al-Assad's domestic policy
Syria, Politics, 10/4/2000

The French daily "liberation" said that the Syrian President Bashar al-Assad seemed during his recent visit to Egypt very close to his late father's policy when he chose to express himself only in " lexical Arabic " and talked in his statements about history and Arabism.

In its Tuesday's editorial, the paper indicated the joint press conference the two Presidents al-Assad and Mubarak held in conclusion of the visit held on Monday. The paper added that President al-Assad has repeatedly said he follows his father's steps on the internal policy level as well as on the level of external policy.

However, news reports in Damascus said on Tuesday that after less than three months since President Bashar al-Assad assumed power in Syria, the " winds of change and freedom" have blown in Syria as criticism has been increased against the way the country's economy has been run and light has been shed on the crisis the Syrians have been suffering for years.

The reports in this regard noted that the Syrian state- run daily al-Thawra issued on Saturday and Sunday a study for two days in two parts by Syrian expert Aref Dalela in which he strongly criticized the economic policy of the former government.

The reports quoted Aref Dalela, the former rector of the faculty of economy at Damascus university as saying that " the evident and logic result for such an economic administration on all levels is what we see on the ground of a suspension to social and economic progress since 20 years."

The reports added that Dalela said that the appearance of his study in al-Thawra means that there is a real change and that there has become a view and views for opposition sides.

The reports said that a diplomat working in Damascus described what was written by Dalela as a great criticism which does not seek to blame others, rather finding solutions to problems.

The diplomat added that publishing the study in an official newspaper is a way to develop the Syria media and giving it a new face, noting this is " the change."

Previous Stories:
  Syrian intellectuals call for freedom, release of detainees, end of emergency law   (9/27/2000)
  Aref Dalila returns back to Damascus university   (9/20/2000)
  New reforms and ministerial reshuffle in Syria   (9/19/2000)

Please add a link on your webiste pointing to ArabicNews.com and bookmark ArabicNews.com & subscribe to our daily email news bulletin.

Search