Syrian vow to become 'example of democracy'

Speaking during a televised news conference yesterday, Walid Moallem also lashed out at European governments for slapping sanctions on Syria for its bloody crackdown on street protests against president Bashar Assad's rule. "We will forget that Europe is on the map," he said.

Mr Moallem's talk of democracy, two days after a major Assad speech, was the regime's latest attempt to blunt three months of widespread anti-regime demonstrations, a movement that has persisted despite the reported killing of hundreds of protesters by security forces.

"We will offer an example of democracy," Mr Moallem said, when asked about his vision for Syria in three months. "There will be social justice, equality before the law and accountability."

The statements by the trusted Assad aide went beyond the vague reform promises the president made in Monday's speech, and amounted to a rare official admission that Syria has ignored basic democratic principles.

Mr Moallem called for the government's opponents to enter into political talks, and urged Syrian exiles to return, pledging that "even the harshest opponent" of the regime would not be arrested.

One prominent opposition figure, Damascus-based Hassan Abdul-Azim, rejected the call for dialogue as long as the military continued its crackdown. "There can be no dialogue when a gun is being held to your head," he said.

He also said the scattered opposition movement would announce within a week the formation of a National Co-ordination Council for democratic change, encompassing all groups inside and outside Syria.