SHAFAQNA (Shia International News Association) — Syria’s President Bashar al-Assad has appointed a new prime minister and tasked him with the formation of a new government in Syria.
Assad appointed former Agriculture Minister Riad Farid Hijab to the position on Wednesday.
The development is regarded as part of Assad’s reform plan, which took effect following the endorsement of the country’s new constitution in February 2011.
The constitution will allow political pluralism and will also enact a presidential limit of two seven-year terms.
Syria has been the scene of violence since March 2011. Many people, including security forces, have lost their lives in the unrest.
The West and the Syrian opposition accuse the government of the killings. But Damascus blames ''outlaws, saboteurs and armed terrorist groups'' for the unrest, stating that it is being orchestrated from abroad.
On Tuesday, the Chinese Foreign Ministry announced that China and Russia are in “close communication and coordination” regarding the Syrian issue and that both countries are against foreign intervention in the Arab state. — www.shafaqna.com
