Assad: Syria faces attempts to divide it

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Saturday blamed 11-months of turmoil in which his forces have cracked down on pro-democracy protesters as a ploy to split the country.

"What Syria is facing is fundamentally an effort to divide it and affect its geopolitical place and historic role in the region," Assad was quoted by Syrian state television as saying, after meeting China's vice foreign minister in Damascus.

China backs President Bashar Assad's plans for a referendum leading to parliamentary elections as a way to resolve the Syrian crisis, Syrian TV quoted Chinese Vice Foreign Minister Zhai Jun as saying on Saturday.   

"We hope that the referendum on the constitution and the parliamentary elections take place in a continuous way," Zhai said during a visit, according to Syrian state television.   

China also called for end to the violence that has marked the 11-month-old uprising against Assad's rule.   

"China...calls on the government, the opposition and those with arms for an immediate stop to the violence, Zhai was quoted as saying during a visit to Damascus to meet Assad. "The Chinese experience shows a nation cannot develop without stability.    

China and Russia have been Assad's most important international defenders during a crackdown on the uprising which has killed several thousand people and drawn condemnation from the United Nations and Western powers.    

Beijing and Moscow have both taken a stand against any foreign intervention or a change of government forced from outside.    

Zhai was due to meet Assad on Saturday but it was not clear from the Syrian television report, monitored in Beirut, if the meeting had already taken place.    

Assad announced his plan on Wednesday for a referendum on a new constitution on Feb. 26 followed by a multi-party election. The Syrian opposition and the West swiftly dismissed it as sham.

Reuters