Violence has continued despite the presence of Arab League monitors in Syria The US and France have condemned a speech by Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad which blamed an "external conspiracy" for the mass uprising against his rule.
The US state department said President Assad had thrown "responsibility on everybody but back on himself".France's foreign minister said the speech amounted to "denial of reality".
In a rare public address, Mr Assad said international powers were trying to destabilise Syria, and vowed to crush "terrorists" with an "iron fist".
In Washington, state department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said: "Assad manages to blame a foreign conspiracy that is so vast with regard to the situation in Syria that it now includes the Arab League, most of the Syrian opposition, the entire international community.
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It was a rambling speech to a sympathetic audience. The president appeared relaxed, even managing a few jokes. But there was no flexibility in his view of the uprising, which is blamed entirely on other countries and internal enemies - not even the smallest acknowledgement that the protesters may have legitimate demands.
It is possible he really believes this Orwellian narrative. Or it is possible he was shoring up his base, sticking to his guns to show them he intends to stay at the helm.
He offered a timetable for reform, stating that a new constitution could be put to a referendum by March this year, with multiparty elections following two or three months after that.
Given the turmoil in Syria, this is an impossibly tight schedule. Either the president is making a promise he knows he cannot honour or he has lost his grip on reality.
Analysis
We have heard much of this script before from Bashar al-Assad. The crisis in his country has been caused by a foreign conspiracy; the protesters are terrorists; he still has the support of the Syrian people; and his government alone will implement reform.It was a rambling speech to a sympathetic audience. The president appeared relaxed, even managing a few jokes. But there was no flexibility in his view of the uprising, which is blamed entirely on other countries and internal enemies - not even the smallest acknowledgement that the protesters may have legitimate demands.
It is possible he really believes this Orwellian narrative. Or it is possible he was shoring up his base, sticking to his guns to show them he intends to stay at the helm.
He offered a timetable for reform, stating that a new constitution could be put to a referendum by March this year, with multiparty elections following two or three months after that.
Given the turmoil in Syria, this is an impossibly tight schedule. Either the president is making a promise he knows he cannot honour or he has lost his grip on reality.
"He throws responsibility on everybody but back on himself and with regard to his own responsibility for the violence in Syria."
She added that the address confirmed "our view that it is time for him to step aside".Speaking in Paris, French Foreign Minister Alain Juppe said: "It incites violence and confrontation between the parties. It's a sort of denial of reality."
Attack on monitors Tuesday's speech was President Assad's third televised address since protests against his rule began in March, and lasted nearly two hours.
"Regional and international sides have tried to destabilise the country," he said.
"Our priority now is to regain the security in which we basked in for decades, and this can only be achieved by hitting the terrorists with an iron fist.
"We will not be lenient with those who work with outsiders against the country."
The Syrian authorities say they are fighting armed groups, and that about 2,000 members of the security forces have been killed so far.Continued
In recent months, army deserters have joined the opposition and targeted government forces.
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