SYRIA'S TURN?

FRIDAYS are always sensitive political days in the Muslim world. When prayers are over large crowds have the opportunity to demonstrate in force. It will be interesting to see what happens in Syria tomorrow following the disappointment felt in the country at President Assad's parliamentary speech in response to the unprecedented protests in the country earlier in the week.

Confident predictions by many sources said that the 40-years-old state of emergency would be lifted and the need for early democratic reforms would be recognised. Instead Assad almost routinely blamed the protests on “foreign conspirators and satellite TV stations pushing an Israeli agenda” without giving any details to validate the accusation. He failed to offer an apology for the deaths of protestors in Deraa, the southern city where unrest first surfaced. The most positive thing he said was that some overdue reforms would have to wait still longer for the return of stability and economic recovery.

Syria is not an easy country to govern and President Assad has been relatively popular during the eleven years since he succeeded his father despite the continued presence of the country's oppressive security forces. However, events elsewhere in the region have changed the rules of Middle East governance and President Assad will need to be careful not to be left behind.