Assad: Will not relinquish power, abandon sinking ship
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Syria's President Bashar Assad said he will not give up power and that the Syrian people will decide who will be the next president in the 2014 elections. He further added that he will not "abandon the ship while it's sinking".
In a meeting in Damascus with the chairwoman of the European Parliament social democratic party, Assad added: "The Islamist groups leave the regime no option but to eliminate them." (Roi Kais)
