Damascus: Rumors on resignation of al-Zou'bi government

A rumor was widely spread in Damascus that Syrian Prime Minister Mahmoud al-Zou'bi has submitted the resignation of his second government, which he formed in 1992.

This was not, however, the first time people and official circles have spoken about the government of Mahmoud al-Zou'bi, who formed his first government in 1987. But it was the first time such talks reached such an expansion.

A new government was, however, expected to have had formed after President al-Assad took his constitutional oath for a fifth term of office in March 11. Observers talked about two possibilities: the first is making a great ministerial reshuffle including the deployment of new experts to the specialized ministries in researches and the economy and the second is to convene a regional conference for the Baath Party that will result in making great changes in the state reflected in the government under the title of having "new blood" in the state's establishments.

In his oath-taking address President al-Assad called for "modernizing the state," "expanding the decision-making circle" so as to achieve "the democratic trend" and "strengthening the internal front."