Gul: ”Assad should act in line with the wishes of the Syrian people”

Syria's president should work to satisfy the wishes of his country's people, said President Abdullah Gul yesterday. "Syrian President (Bashar) Assad should state clearly and definitely that everything has changed and that everything will be arranged in line with the will of the Syrian people," Gul told reporters. Asked to comment on yesterday's speech by Assad – his first in two months, amid large antigovernment protests – Gul said, "The time has come. Assad should also say Syria will move to a multiparty system. He should say Syria will hold elections in line with all international democratic criteria and that everything will be done in line with the wishes of his people, and that he will lead this change."