World press on Assad’s Peace Plan (January 6, 2013)

On January 6th Guardian published an article by Ian Black "Syria's President Bashar al-Assad delivers rare public speech'. "Bashar al-Assad has pledged to continue fighting "terrorist" violence and urged foreign countries to end support for his enemies while also offering a national dialogue and a constitutional referendum to end Syria's bloody crisis. The Syrian president used an hour-long speech in Damascus on Sunday to propose what he called a comprehensive plan that included an "expanded government". But there was no sign he was prepared to step down as the first stage of a political transition – a demand of all opposition groups. "I will go one day, but the country remains," he said" the article reads.
 "Assad's speech was "beyond hypocritical", Britain's foreign secretary, William Hague, commented on Twitter. "Deaths, violence and oppression engulfing Syria are his own making, empty promises of reform fool no one." Assad's last public comments were in November, when he told Russian TV he would "live and die in Syria". His last speech was in June 2012.". the article reads.
"Opposition comment on social media was predictably scathing. The speech prompted one anti-Assad figure to tweet: "There is a saying in Arabic that goes along the lines of: 'He killed the man then walked in his funeral.'" Assad also thanked Russia, China and Iran for supporting Syria in the face of hostility from the US, Britain and France." the article ends.
"His new initiative, including a reconciliation conference that would exclude "those who have betrayed Syria", contained no concessions and appeared to recycle proposals that opponents have rejected since the uprising began nearly two years ago.” the article published recently by the Reuters reads. "EU foreign affairs chief Catherine Ashton said Brussels would "look carefully if there is anything new in the speech, but we maintain our position that Assad has to step aside and allow for a political transition". the article reads.