Assad, Nasrallah discuss 'Syrian reform'

Reforms go 'hand in hand' with backing Palestinian resistance in spite of Israel, al-Akhbar reports

Roee Nahmias|Published: 05.30.11 , 13:44

Hezbollah Secretary-General Hassan Nasrallah met with Syrian President Bashar Assad in order to discuss reforms in Syria, the Lebanese daily al-Akhbar, identified with Hezbollah, reported on Monday.

Nasrallah "held more than one meeting with President Assad to discuss reforms in Syria", the report says. But Assad "did not require encouragement to proceed with reforms, as he himself presented many ideas", it was quick to add.

Reform? Al-Jazeera: Soldier shot for refusing to fire on protests

The elusive reforms, which the paper did not go into detail over, go hand in hand, in Assad's opinion, with standing up to attempts "by officials and states that want to topple the Syrian regime because of its stance regarding the resistance" – a word used to describe Palestinian militancy – "and exhaust it so it capitulates on this issue".

The report adds that Assad was so adamant in his stance on the "resistance" that he refused to hear any suggestions about it.

Over the weekend anti-government protesters in Syria were seen burning pictures of Nasrallah, after the latter gave a speech voicing support for Assad.

Meanwhile the Syrian regime continues its brutal crackdown on protests, and on Monday forces bombed the city of Talbisa with heavy artillery.

A number of the city's residents were hurt. The attack came a day after nine were killed in the city by Syrian troops. According to a Syrian human rights group, snipers are stationed on rooftops of the city's mosques and tanks and armored cars are encircling Talbisa and the nearby city of Rastan.