Syria Yields to U.S., U.N. Demands, Reshuffles Cabinet
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DAMASCUS, Syria – President Assad shuffled his Cabinet yesterday, just weeks after America and the United Nations challenged Syria over its military presence in Lebanon and the security situation along its border with Iraq.
The changes were broader than expected and affected a third of Mr. Assad’s Cabinet.
Ghazi Kenaan, 62, until two years ago Syria’s top intelligence general in neighboring Lebanon, was named interior minister, according to an announcement carried by the official Syrian Arab News Agency.
During Mr. Kenaan’s two decades in charge of Syrian affairs in Lebanon, Syria defeated opponents by using force or by outmaneuvering them to emerge as the main power broker.
Mahdi Dakhlallah, who for the last two years has been editor-in-chief of the al-Baath newspaper, was named in formation minister. Mr. Dakhlallah, 57, served for 19 years in the studies department of the Baath Party.
New ministers also were appointed in justice, health, commerce, industry, religious affairs, and labor and social affairs. Farouk al-Sharaa, foreign minister since 1984, retained his position, as did the defense minister, General Hassan Turkmany, who was appointed in May to replace the major general, Mustafa Tlass, who retired after 52 years of service.
Prime Minister al-Otari’s Cabinet took office in September 2003 in a move designed by Mr. Assad to speed the pace of his administrative and economic reforms.
Mr. Assad’s replacement of eight ministers while keeping Mr. al-Otari in the job indicates the president wants to maintain government policies but improve performance.
“It is a message from Syria that de spite the pressures it is facing it wants to effect reform and serious change in its structure,” said political analyst Imad Fawzi Shoueibi.
But Haitham Maleh, head of the Human Rights Association in Syria, dismissed the changes as insufficient.
“Any government reshuffle will be unproductive unless it is associated with a radical change in legislation, unless the military judiciary stops trying civilians,” he said.
When he took office in 2000, Mr. Assad eased restrictions on political life that were in place since his late father, Hafez Assad, came to power in 1970. He’s freed hundreds of political prisoners and initially allowed political discussion groups to hold small indoor gatherings to discuss pro-democracy reforms. But he has also clamped down on pro-democracy activists, showing there is a limit to dissent.