Syrians rally to back reforms

Thousands pour onto the streets in Syria to back government-initiated reforms and national unity.

Source: Press TV
http://www.presstv.ir/detail/188536.html

Hundreds of thousands of Syrians have taken to the streets in the coastal city of Latakia, raising the country's national flag and voicing support for reforms promised by the Syrian president.

The demonstrators carried what they called world's biggest national flag, 16 kilometers long and four meters wide, as a sign of support for the reform program initiated by President Bashar al-Assad and rejected foreign meddling in the country's internal affairs, Syrian Arab News Agency reported on Sunday.

The Syrian government has convened a two-day meeting in the capital city of Damascus, dubbed “national dialog,” with members of the opposition to bring to an end the months-long fatal unrest in the country.

US Ambassador Robert Ford and French Ambassador Eric Chevallier paid an unauthorized visit to the restive city of Hama on Thursday without prior arrangements with Syrian officials.

Syrians gathered outside the US Embassy in Damascus on Saturday, calling for the expulsion of the American ambassador over interfering in the country's internal affairs.

People in Aleppo, the largest city in Syria, also poured onto the streets to express their support for national unity and protest against the illegal activities by foreign officials to incite instability in the country.

Syria has been experiencing unrest in the past months, with demonstrations held both against and in support of the Bashar al-Assad government.

Hundreds have been reported killed when some protest rallies turned into armed clashes between alleged protesters and state security forces as well as organized attacks by well-armed gangs against Syrian police force and border guards in north of the country.