IN HIS FIRST PUBLIC ADDRESS since demonstrations broke out in Syria two weeks ago, President Bashar Assad blamed “conspirators” for the unrest.

Protesters have been calling for political reform and greater freedoms, and over 60 people have been reported killed since security forces cracked down on the demonstrations.

Although Assad was expected to announced some symbolic reforms today, Al Jazeera reports that he did not elaborate on the issue when addressing the parliament today in a televised speech.

Instead, the president said the country was going through a “test of unity” and said satellite channels were spreading lies. He said the country had to withstand “outside conspiracies”, but added: “We cannot say that everyone who went out [in protest] is a conspirator. Let us be clear about that”.

Root of the unrest

Government officials had earlier signalled that the state of emergency would be lifted after initially being imposed in 1963. The cabinet’s resignation yesterday and the release of political prisoners at the weekend were seen as attempts to alleviate tensions.

Syrian lawyer and pro-reform activist Razan Zaitouneh said he was “in state of shock” after the speech: “The fact that he is blaming everything on conspirators means that he does not even acknowledge the root of the problem”.

The Assad family has ruled Syria for almost 40 years and the president’s arrival at parliament today was greeted with cheers and supportive chants from legislators, who called out: “God, Syria and Bashar only!”

- Additional reporting from the AP