Hafez al-Assad dies at 69
The Syrian president al-Assad dies in Damascus of a heart attack. He is survived by four of his five children. His dynastic guidelines pass succession to his son, Bashar al-Assad.
Assad, Akhras marry
Assad and Asma Akharas marry in a secret ceremony in Damascus. No pictures are taken.
Re-elected
Assad overwhelmingly wins another seven-year term of office, in a ballot in which he is the only candidate. Political opposition groups are banned unless they are attached the Baath Party. The interior ministry says he wins the backing of more than 97% of Syria’s 12 million voters. The ministry says the turnout is enormous, but gives no figures. Minister:
This great consensus shows the political maturity of Syria and the brilliance of our democracy.
Receives Iran award
During his official state visit to Tehran, Assad receives Iran’s highest national award in recognition of his support for the Palestinians, Lebanon, and his “rejection of global arrogance”. In a ceremony broadcast on Iranian state-run television, Ahmadinejad presents Assad with the Islamic Republic’s Medal of Honor. Ahmadinejad:
We are two governments and nations that are brothers. If it were not for Syria’s resistance against the Zionist regime [Israel] and its supporters, no country in our region would have remained safe from the Zionists’ aggression and there would be no sign of Palestinian resistance…Re-invigorating the front of resistance will not only persuade other countries and nations to join the front, but also pave the ground for the consolidation and stabilization of peace in the region…Syria is a benefactor to Muslims, Arabs and even to humanity.
Lifts state of emergency
Syria’s government passes a law to lift the country’s state of emergency as protests against the rule of Assad continue. The state security court is abolished while a law allowing peaceful protests is approved. The repeal of the emergency law is a key demand of protesters.
[The people should] refrain from taking part in all marches, demonstrations or sit-ins under any banner whatsoever. [If demonstrations are held] the laws in force in Syria will be applied in the interest of the safety of the people and the stability of the country.
US imposes sanctions
Washington freezes the U.S. assets of Assad and six other senior officials for human rights abuses. The sanctions also bar American individuals and companies from dealing with the officials, which include the vice president, the prime minister, the interior minister, the defence minister, the head of military intelligence and the director of the political security directorate. US Treasury spokesperson:
The actions the administration has taken today send an unequivocal message to President Assad, the Syrian leadership, and regime insiders that they will be held accountable for the ongoing violence and repression in Syria…President al-Assad and his regime must immediately end the use of violence, answer the calls of the Syrian people for a more representative government, and embark upon the path of meaningful democratic reform,
Canada imposes sanctions
Canada imposes sanctions on Syria in reaction to the ongoing government crackdown on pro-democracy activists. Foreign Affairs Minister Baird says four more senior officials of Assad’s regime are banned from travelling to Canada. In addition, the assets of the Commercial Bank of Syria and telecom company SyriaTel are frozen, and Canadians are prohibited from making transactions with these companies.
To isolate the Assad regime, Canada is taking measures to extend its existing sanctions against the regime and its backers. The Assad regime has lost all legitimacy by killing Syrian men, women and children just to stay in power. This campaign of terror must stop.
EU, US call for resignation
President Obama says the regime’s actions against pro-democracy protesters have cost it all legitimacy.
The future of Syria must be determined by its people, but President Bashar al-Assad is standing in their way. His calls for dialogue and reform have rung hollow while he is imprisoning, torturing and slaughtering his own people, We have consistently said that President Assad must lead a democratic transition or get out of the way. He has not led. For the sake of the Syrian people, the time has come for President Assad to step aside.
UK Prime Minister Cameron, French president Sarkozy and German chancellor Merkel, as well as the EU also demand Assad immediately resign.
Our three countries believe that President Assad, who is resorting to brutal military force against his own people and who is responsible for the situation, has lost all legitimacy and can no longer claim to lead the country. We call on him to face the reality of the complete rejection of his regime by the Syrian people and to step aside in the best interests of Syria and the unity of its people.
Warns against intervention
Syrian President Bashar Al Assad warns that foreign intervention in his country’s violent uprising could trigger an earthquake that would burn the whole region.
Any action against Syria will have greater consequences [on those who carry it out], greater than they can tolerate. First, because of Syria’s geopolitical location and second [because of] Syrian capabilities. They know part of it but they do not know the other parts and they will not be able to afford the results.
Assad says calls for his resignation by US and EU are not even worthy of a response, adding that he is appointed by the Syrian people, not by the West.
Syrian, Lebanon relations restored
Assad issues a presidential decree ordering the establishment of diplomatic relations between Syria and Lebanon and announcing the opening of an embassy-level diplomatic mission in Beirut. Following the announcement, the Lebanese Foreign Minister says he will visit damascus to finalize the agreement
Tomorrow I will be in Damascus to meet with my colleague [Syrian Foreign] Minister Walid Moallem…to finalize the necessary measures to establish diplomatic relations between the two countries…My visit will be a crown to the excellent relations between the two countries,
Jordan’s king calls for resignation
King Abdullah becomes the first Arab leader to openly say President Assad should stand down, urging Assad to begin talks on an orderly transition of power and warning there will be more of the same if whoever replaces him does not change the status quo.
If Bashar has the interest of his country [at heart] he would step down, but he would also create an ability to reach out and start a new phase of Syrian political life. That’s the only way I would see it work and I don’t think people are asking that question.
Ergodan calls Assad to resign
Turkey’s prime minister Ergodan calls on the Syrian president to step down.
For the welfare of your own people and the region, just leave that seat…If you want to see someone who has fought until death against his own people, just look at Nazi Germany, just look at Hitler, at Mussolini, at Nicolae Ceausescu in Romania, If you cannot draw any lessons from these, then look at the Libyan leader who was killed just 32 days ago in manner none of us wished and who used the same expression you used.
Walters interview
In an interview with Walters, Assad denies he is responsible for the violence engulfing his country and distances himself from the behavior of his armed forces.
They are not my forces. They are forces for the government. I don’t own them. I’m president. I don’t own the country. So they are not my forces…Every brute reaction was by an individual, not by an institution, that’s what you have to know, There is a difference between having a policy to crack down and between having some mistakes committed by some officials. There is a big difference. We don’t kill, It’s impossible for anyone in this state to give orders to kill. No government in the world kills its people, unless it’s led by a crazy person,
Assad meets Annan
U.N. envoy Annan meets with Assad in Damascus during a mission trying to bring a halt to fighting and arrange talks between the two sides to end the country’s conflict. Assad tells Annan that any political dialogue is doomed to fail
as long as there are armed terrorist groups that work to spread anarchy and destabilize the country,
The regime blames terrorists acting out a foreign conspiracy for the uprising, not protesters seeking change. The opposition rejects dialogue, saying it is impossible to talk to Assad’s regime.
EU impose sanctions
European Union states impose sanctions on Assad’s wife, Asma. Foreign ministers meeting in Brussels on also impose asset freezes and bans on travel to the EU on several other family members including Assad’s mother, and bans European companies from doing business with two additional Syrian entities. EU diplomat:
She is on the list. It’s the whole clan,
Because the Syrian first lady is a British national she cannot be prevented from entering the UK, but she cannot enter then other 26 EU states.
Secret military base
Sources in the Persian Gulf tell Reuters that Turkey, Saudi Arabia and Qatar have set up a secret ‘nerve centre’ near the Turkish border with Syria to direct military aid and communications to Syrian rebels fighting the government. Doha source:
It’s the Turks who are militarily controlling it. Turkey is the main co-ordinator/facilitator. Think of a triangle, with Turkey at the top and Saudi Arabia and Qatar at the bottom. The Americans are very hands-off on this. U.S. intel are working through middlemen. Middlemen are controlling access to weapons and routes.
The centre is located in the southern Turkish city of Adana, about 100 km (60 miles) from the border, and was set up after Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Prince Abdulaziz bin Abdullah al-Saud visited Turkey and requested it. The Turks liked the idea of having the base in Adana so that they could supervise its operations.
Urges countires to stop supporting enemies
Assad pledges to continue fighting terrorist violence and urges foreign countries to end support for his enemies while also offering a national dialogue and a constitutional referendum to end Syria’s crisis. Assad uses an hour-long speech in Damascus to propose what he calls a comprehensive plan that includes an expanded government. He refers to plots against his country and the role of al-Qaida, long-portrayed as the leading element in the uprising.
We are now in a state of war in every sense of the word, This war targets Syria using a handful of Syrians and many foreigners. Thus, this is a war to defend the nation.
Assad also thanks Russia, China and Iran for supporting Syria in the face of hostility from the US, Britain and France.
UN implicates Assad in war crimes
The UN’s human rights chief says an inquiry has produced evidence that war crimes are authorised in Syria at the highest level, including by President Assad. Commissioner Pillay says her office holds a list of others implicated by the inquiry. Pillay:
[The enquiry has produced] massive evidence… [of] very serious crimes, war crimes, crimes against humanity. The scale of viciousness of the abuses being perpetrated by elements on both sides almost defies belief. [The evidence indicates responsibility] at the highest level of government, including the head of state
Syrian Deputy Foreign Minister Mekdad is dismissive of Pillay’s remarks.
She has been talking nonsense for a long time and we don’t listen to her.
Assad cousin killed
A cousin of Assad is killed fighting militants along the Turkish border. Hilal al-Assad founded the National Defence Army of pro-government civilians fighting alongside the Syrian army, and is the head of the group. Rebel faction Jaish al-Islam issues a statement claiming responsibility for the killing:
The first rocket was fired around 7:15pm, followed by another five minutes later. The rockets targeted a house where Hilal was holding a meeting with other members of the National Defence Army.
Kerry dismisses election
On a visit to Lebanon, Secretary of State Kerry declares the Syrian election meaningless and says it will have no impact on U.S. policy. Kerry says the United States continues to support a political solution to the Syrian crisis and announces a contribution of $290 million in humanitarian aid.
The elections are non-elections. A great big zero. Nothing has changed between the day before the election and after.