Al-Assad to address Baath congress on vital issue, Buthaina Shaaban
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad will deliver a directive address in the opening ceremony of 10th regional congress of al-Baath Arab Socialist Party. It is to put a general framework of its activities and throw light on some vital issues of importance to Syria, Expatriate Minister said on Thursday.
"Holding the regional congress of the Party comes as a crowning of all elections the Party has witnessed all over the Syrian governorates and cities," Minister Buthaina Shaaban said in a press conference in this respect.
The minister underlined that the congress will include 1150 members, clarifying that three political, economic, and organizing committees will be formed to discuss reports of the party boards from different points of view.
She noted that these committees' recommendations will be presented in the final day of the congress for discussion and ratification.
"Al-Baath Party gathers all sections that represent the Syrian society without any discrimination and its struggle history is honorable and well-known of working for the higher national interest," Shaaban stressed. She stated that the party, including masses from different Syrian sections, has struggled fiercefully against "those who have been trying to permit foreign interference in Syria's internal affairs under different pretexts." She stressed that the party will go on defending Syria, her interests and her people's freedom."
In response to a question regarding whether the reform in Syria will start after the congress, Shaaban said that reform in Syria has been ongoing for a long period and the executive authority is working in a way that takes the country's interests into higher consideration. "This reform isn't a result of foreign pressures on Syria," Shaaban said, clarifying that "it is due to our responsibility towards our country and people."
The 10th congress of al-Ba'ath Arab Socialist party is scheduled to be held in Damascus next week from June 6th running to June 9th. The 9th congress of the party was held in summer 2000 when President Bashar al-Assad took power.
