Syrian people take to the streets in show of support to President al-Assad

In a huge march held on Monday, the Syrian people renewed a pledge of full allegiance and loyalty to their president, Hafez al-Assad. In an unprecedented march, about three million of the people of Damascus, Damascus countryside and Quneitra province took to the streets to celebrate the nomination of al-Assad for a new constitutional term, SANA reported.

Different political, economic, cultural, social and religious organizations participated in the march, demonstrating a unique national unity and saying "yes" to the "symbol of Arab dignity and pride."

Participating in the march were also ranking party and state officials, chairmen of people's organizations and vocational trade unions organizations and Muslim and Christian clergymen.

In a speech he gave on this occasion, speaker of the Syrian Parliament Abdul Qader Qaddoura outlined the "great achievements Syria has materialized under the historic leadership of President Hafez al-Assad," stressing the strong national unity and genuine democracy the country enjoys thanks to the president's sound and firm stances based on "unwavering national principles."

Qaddoura added that Syrians renewed the nomination of President al-Assad for a new constitutional term because, "They fully discern the President al-Assad, known world-wide for his strategic vision and clear-cut farsightedness, is the only leader who is confidently able to rescue the nation and steer the country into the shore of safety."

The secretary general of the Arab Socialist Union and member of the central committee of the Progressive National Front, Safwan Qudsi, said in his speech addressing the crowd of citizens gathered at Umayyad square in Damascus: "When we talk about President Hafez al-Assad, we talk about great roles and principles an exceptional historic era, sound logic, piercing insight, ability to read history, wise bravery, political flexibility and total commitment to realistic and pan-Arab principles."