Assad Promises Amnesty to Opposition Members if They Lay Down Their Arms

The Syrian authorities announced an amnesty for those members of the opposition groups who lay down their arms and participate in the political process, Syrian President Bashar Assad said in an interview with Spanish newspaper El Pais.

According to him, the country's authorities will continue to treat all armed groups as terrorists, as long "as they do not declare that they are ready to enter the political process."

"[If the members of these groups lay down their arms] we will announce amnesty, and it happened over the past two years and more and more lately. Many of them laid down their arms. Some joined the ranks of the Syrian army."

He pointed out that "from the point of view of the law and the constitution, all those who turn their guns on people and the government — the terrorists — in their own country, in our country or any other country in the world."

"We can not say that these people are under the law. They can be recognized as part of it if they lay down their arms and join the political process. This is the only opportunity in any country to recover, or to change the law, constitution or government. This can be done through a political process, not through weapons, "- the Syrian president said.