Syrian President Bashar Assad gestures as he speaks at the Opera House in central Damascus on Sunday.(Photo: AP)
BEIRUT -- Syria's information minister has slammed the
international community for rejecting a proposal by President Bashar
Assad aimed at ending the country's civil war.
Omran al-Zoubi says
countries like the United States and its Western allies, who have
called on Assad to step down since the uprising against his rule began
in March 2011, have dismissed Assad's initiative "before even having the
time to translate it."
Al-Zoubani was speaking in Damascus late Tuesday after an emergency Cabinet meeting to discuss the proposal.
In
a rare speech Sunday, Assad outlined his vision for ending almost two
years of bloodshed with a plan that would keep him in power. He called
for dialogue, but only with those "who have not betrayed Syria."
The opposition rejected the offer, which also drew harsh international criticism.
Associated Press