By Nehal El-Sherif, dpa
Cairo (dpa) – Despite banning foreign reporters from entering the country for the past seven months, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad this week began a fierce media campaign against his opponents, with three interviews to foreign media in less than 48 hours.
In them, al-Assad boasted that - unlike other Arab leaders - his government responded rapidly to demonstrations in the country by announcing reforms.
And he stressed that Syria is different from other Arab countries in the region, which have been rocked by popular protests since January.
"Syria is different geographically, demographically, politically and historically from Libya," the official SANA news agency quoted al-Assad as telling Russian television.
The series of interviews come amid reports that US-led consultations are secretly taking place, in renewed international efforts to bring back the Syrian file to the United Nations Security Council.
China and Russia vetoed a UN resolution this month critical of al-Assad's crackdown on pro-democracy protesters, which would have targeted his government with further sanctions.
Syrian opposition figure Fawaz Zakri said that the impetus to taking the Syria file back to the Security Council came after comments by China's special envoy to the Middle East.
Wu Sike, who had visited Damascus last week, said that the “dangerous situation in Syria cannot continue,” adding that “Syria must show some flexibility to help the Arab League implement its proposal."
"These statements have encouraged the world again to make a decision because it means a change in the Chinese position,” said Zakri, who is based in Turkey.
An Arab League committee, headed by Qatar and comprising the foreign ministers of Algeria, Egypt, Oman and Sudan, is currently in talks with al-Assad's government to end unrest that has gripped the country.
Many are now anxious to see how the Arab League initiative will end, with an emergency foreign ministers meeting is expected in Cairo on Wednesday.
More than 3,000 people, including at least 187 children, have been killed in a Syrian government clampdown since pro-democracy protests began in mid-March, according to the United Nations.
"They (the Syrian government) know there is a crisis and have to address it seriously and swiftly," Qatari Prime Minister Hamad bin Jassim said in Doha.
Protests began in mid-March, calling for greater freedoms and reform, but increasingly began demanding the ouster of al-Assad and his loyalists. Fear also persists that prolonging the crisis will lead to a civil war.
"The Arab initiative died before it was born because the Syrian regime is manipulating and just wants to buy time till after the Wednesday meeting," said Zakri.
He said the Arab initiative was clear in demanding the government withdraw troops, end the killings, achieve reforms and hold a dialogue with all opposition under supervision of the Arab League.
"What they presented yesterday is a timetable and a road map to implement the initiative," he added.
Observers say al-Assad's interviews imply a threat, after protesters began demanding a Libyan-style no-fly zone over their country.
The embattled president warned that any foreign intervention in his country would burn the whole region and trigger an “earthquake.”
"The empty threats about burning the region are meaningless, and this has been proved," editor of the pan-Arab daily Asharq al-Awsat Tariq Alhumayed wrote.
"(Deposed Libyan Leader) Moamer Gaddafi echoed the same words before when NATO began its mission against his forces ... but where is Gaddafi, and how did he end?"
Many Syrians do not seem frightened by al-Assad's threats, with thousands taking to the streets every day, chanting and singing anti-Assad slogans. At least 70 had been killed since Friday as army defectors began to fight back against government forces and pro-Assad militia.
Some members of the opposition, like Zakri, believe that the protests and armed struggle are the only way to bring down al-Assad.
“The Syrian regime will not fall except by fighting. Peaceful movements will not change anything in the regime,” Zakri said.
Originally published on October 31 - also published here , here and here