Bashar al-Assad initially called the unrest a "conspiracy" fomented by foreign countries Tuesday, June 21, 2011
Assad holds hard line on unrest
Bashar al-Assad initially called the unrest a "conspiracy" fomented by foreign countries Syrian President Bashar al-Assad is to address the nation for the first time in two months, as his security forces continue operations against protesters.
The state news agency said Mr Assad would address "current circumstances".
Concessions made during his last televised address have not dampened anti-government demonstrations.
Meanwhile, thousands of people who fled a military assault in the north-west of the country are now living in refugee camps across the border in Turkey.
Some refugees said the army had cut off the border town of Bdama, which had been providing supplies to those fleeing Jisr al-Shugour.
No further information about the contents of Monday's speech has been given.
But Syria's ambassador to the US said his government differentiated between the legitimate demands of protesters and those of armed gangs, and that Mr Assad would deal with "all these issues".
President Assad's first address to the nation about the unrest came on 30 March - two weeks after it began.
But instead of striking a conciliatory tone, he called the violence a "conspiracy" fomented by foreign countries.
After another two weeks of protests, Mr Assad announced on 16 April that the emergency law in force in Syria since 1963 would be abolished, expressed his sadness at the many deaths, and called for national dialogue.
His latest speech is due a day after opposition activists announced the creation of a body to lead the struggle against the regime.
"We announce the creation of a National Council to lead the Syrian revolution, comprising all communities and representatives of national political forces inside and outside Syria," spokesman Jamil Saib told reporters near the Turkish border, according to the AFP news agency.
The council urged people to "co-operate in all cities and provinces of Syria to achieve the legitimate goal of overthrowing the regime and bring it to justice", Mr Saib added.
Also on Sunday, activists said the army had surrounded Bdama - only 2km (1.2 miles) from Turkey - with checkpoints and was stopping people attempting to head for the Turkish border.
Nonetheless, hundreds have managed to escape.
More than 10,000 Syrian refugees have crossed the Turkish border, and Turkish officials say another 10,000 are sheltering on the Syrian side.
One refugee said of the Syrian president: "He killed our friends... he makes us leave our homes, our families"
The local Turkish governor's office said some Syrians were collecting food at the border to take to the stranded families.
The governor's office said there was no question of Turkish soldiers crossing into Syria.
Raka al-Abduh, 23, told AFP that his family fled Bdama on Saturday but he went back on Sunday morning to get bread.
He reached the village using mountain routes and found it all but abandoned.
"They closed the only bakery there. We cannot get bread any more," he said. "I saw soldiers shooting the owner of the bakery. They hit him in the chest and the leg."
There were also protests overnight in the cities of Hama, Homs, Latakia, Deir al-Zour, Madaya, and several suburbs of Damascus, activists said.
Syrian human rights groups say at least 1,300 civilians have been killed and 10,000 detained since anti-government protests began in mid-March.
More than 300 soldiers and police have also been killed, they say. The government blames "armed terrorist gangs" for their deaths.
This article is from the BBC News website. ? British Broadcasting Corporation, The BBC is not responsible for the content of external internet sites.
Source: http://www.bbc.co.uk/go/rss/int/news/-/news/world-middle-east-13835393
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