<p>A defiant President Bashar al-Assad presented what he described as a new initiative on Sunday to end the war in Syria but his opponents dismissed it as a ploy to cling to power.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Appearing before cheering supporters who packed the Damascus Opera House, it was his first such speech since June and first public appearance of any kind since a television interview in November.<br /><br />He called for national mobilisation in a “war to defend the nation”, describing rebels fighting his regime as terrorists and foreign agents with whom it was impossible to negotiate.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />The opposition National Coalition said the speech was an attempt to thwart an international agreement, backed by Western and Arab powers, that he must stand down.<br />British Foreign Secretary William Hague said “empty promises of reform fool no one”. In a Twitter message, he added: “Death, violence and oppression engulfing Syria are of his own making.”<br /><br />Assad spoke confidently for about an hour before a crowd of cheering loyalists, who occasionally interrupted him to shout and applaud, at one point raising their fists and chanting: “With blood and soul we sacrifice for you, Oh Bashar!”<br /><br />At the end of the speech, supporters rushed to the stage, mobbing him and shouting: “God, Syria and Bashar is enough!” as a smiling Assad waved and was escorted from the hall. “We are now in a state of war in every sense of the word,” Assad said in the speech, broadcast on Syrian state television. “This war targets Syria using a handful of Syrians and many foreigners. Thus, this is a war to defend the nation.”<br /><br />Saying that “suffering is overwhelming” the land, he added: “The nation is for all and we all must protect it.”<br /><br />Assad’s speech seemed ostensibly aimed at showing Syrians, and perhaps diplomats, that he is open to change.<br /><br />But the plan could hardly have been better designed to ensure its rejection by the opposition. Among its proposals: rebels would first be expected to halt their operations before the army would cease fire, a certain non-starter.<br /><br />Assad repeatedly described parts of the opposition as agents of foreign powers who could not be included in any negotiations: “We will not have dialogue with a puppet made by the West,” he said.<br /></p>
<p>A defiant President Bashar al-Assad presented what he described as a new initiative on Sunday to end the war in Syria but his opponents dismissed it as a ploy to cling to power.<br /><br /></p>.<p>Appearing before cheering supporters who packed the Damascus Opera House, it was his first such speech since June and first public appearance of any kind since a television interview in November.<br /><br />He called for national mobilisation in a “war to defend the nation”, describing rebels fighting his regime as terrorists and foreign agents with whom it was impossible to negotiate.<br /><br />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.<br /><br />The opposition National Coalition said the speech was an attempt to thwart an international agreement, backed by Western and Arab powers, that he must stand down.<br />British Foreign Secretary William Hague said “empty promises of reform fool no one”. In a Twitter message, he added: “Death, violence and oppression engulfing Syria are of his own making.”<br /><br />Assad spoke confidently for about an hour before a crowd of cheering loyalists, who occasionally interrupted him to shout and applaud, at one point raising their fists and chanting: “With blood and soul we sacrifice for you, Oh Bashar!”<br /><br />At the end of the speech, supporters rushed to the stage, mobbing him and shouting: “God, Syria and Bashar is enough!” as a smiling Assad waved and was escorted from the hall. “We are now in a state of war in every sense of the word,” Assad said in the speech, broadcast on Syrian state television. “This war targets Syria using a handful of Syrians and many foreigners. Thus, this is a war to defend the nation.”<br /><br />Saying that “suffering is overwhelming” the land, he added: “The nation is for all and we all must protect it.”<br /><br />Assad’s speech seemed ostensibly aimed at showing Syrians, and perhaps diplomats, that he is open to change.<br /><br />But the plan could hardly have been better designed to ensure its rejection by the opposition. Among its proposals: rebels would first be expected to halt their operations before the army would cease fire, a certain non-starter.<br /><br />Assad repeatedly described parts of the opposition as agents of foreign powers who could not be included in any negotiations: “We will not have dialogue with a puppet made by the West,” he said.<br /></p>