Syria's VP calls for move to democracy

BEIRUT -- Syria's Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa called for a transition to democracy Sunday in a country ruled for four decades by an authoritarian family dynasty, crediting mass protests with forcing the regime to consider reforms while also warning against further demonstrations.

Al-Sharaa spoke at a national dialogue that opened yesterday, with some critics of the government in attendance. Key opposition figures driving a popular uprising boycotted the meeting, however, saying they refuse to talk until a deadly crackdown on protesters ends.

"I hope that we will reach . . . transition to a pluralistic democratic state that enjoys equality for all citizens who participate in forming their own shining future," al-Sharaa said at the start of two days of talks in Damascus. His comments highlighted the extent to which the uprising has shaken President Bashar Assad, who inherited power from his father in 2000.

While Assad has acknowledged the need for reforms in recent weeks, the high-level call for multiparty democracy was remarkable.

Still, al-Sharaa also made thinly veiled threats against the protesters and suggested some received direction from abroad.

"Arabs will not obtain their goals if they rely on foreigners," he said. "Unauthorized protests that lead to unwanted violence will cause the fall of more civilians and soldiers," he said.

Such a carrot-and-stick approach reflects the Syrian regime's policy of using both brute force and tentative promises of reform to try to quell the uprising, which was inspired by the revolutions in Tunisia and Egypt. Some 1,600 civilians and 350 members of security forces have been killed since demonstrations began, activists say.

The Foreign Ministry, meanwhile, summoned the American and French ambassadors to protest their visits to the city of Hama, an opposition stronghold. The ministry said the visits Thursday and Friday amounted to interference in the country's internal affairs.

Yesterday, Assad appointed a new governor to Hama, Anas Abdul-Razak, having fired the previous governor after the largest anti-government demonstration of the uprising.