Hereditary President-for-Life Bashir Pencilneckal-Assad
One of the last of the old-fashioned hereditary iron-fisted fascist dictators...
said on Sunday he is determined to "eradicate terrorism" which he blames for the conflict raging in his country, according to state news agency SANA.
"Syria has welcomed all constructive, genuine efforts to find a political solution to the crisis" that erupted in March 2011, Assad was quoted as saying.
But Damascus "is at the same time determined to confront terrorism and eradicate it," he added in reference to a rebellion that broke out against him after his regime unleashed a brutal crackdown against dissent.
Assad made his remarks during a meeting with a visiting delegation of Mauritanian party leaders in Damascus.
He said "the cohesion between our heroic army and the people" would help Damascus defeat the rebellion, according to SANA.
Assad's latest remarks come two weeks after he promised in a rare speech to strike out "terrorism" with an "iron fist".