Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad
Supressor of the Damascenes...
told a Tunisian delegation on Thursday he was determined to crush the rebellion against his regime and to find a political solution to the crisis in Syria, SANA news agency reported.
"Syria is determined to tackle terrorism and those who support it regionally and globally, and to find a political solution to the crisis," Assad was quoted as telling the delegation, the official agency said.
Damascus officials refer to rebels fighting Assad's rule as "terrorists".
Assad also said that the "Syrians appreciate the positions of Tunisian people and are aware that some Tunisians came to fight in Syria, but they represent only themselves."
Tunisian Foreign Minister Othmane Jarandi estimated 10 days ago that some 800 Tunisians were fighting alongside Salafist tough guys against the regime in strife-torn Syria.