President Bashar al-Assad has issued a decree authorising a multi-party political system in Syria, a day after the UN Security Council issued a statement condemning the regime's use of force against protesters.
The state-controlled SANA news agency reported that the decree, issued on Thursday, was aimed at "activating the political life and citizens' participation".
SANA said a party established under the new law would have to show commitment to the constitution, principles of democracy and respect liberties and international declarations of human rights.
It also said a party cannot be founded on a "religious, tribal, regional, denominational, or profession-related basis" or be a "branch of or affiliated to a non-Syrian party or political organisation".
Comments