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West, opposition reject Assad plan

Only Iran backs his stance; Dutch Patriot heads for Syria border

AFP, Damascus
A defiant speech by President Bashar al-Assad callingfor peace in Syria on his terms has met rejection by the opposition and internationally, with only his ally Iran yesterdaybackinghis stance.
Assad's plan was "detached from reality," a US State Department spokeswoman said, while Britain said Assad's address was "empty".
The office of EU foreign policy chief Catherine Ashton said Europe's position remained that Assad should step down to permit a political transition.
And Egyptian President Mohamed Morsi told CNN he would endorse any decision by the Syrian people to put Assad on trial before the International Criminal Court for war crimes.
The opposition Syrian National Coalition noted that Assad had ruled out any dialogue with the rebels, making negotiations impossible.
Only Iran, which is supplying money, military advisors and, according to the United States, weapons to Assad's regime threw its weight behind its ally.
It was "yet another attempt by the regime to
cling to power and does nothing to advance the Syrian people's goal of a political transition," US State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said in Washington.
"His initiative isdetachedfromreality,"shesaid.
British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Assad's first speech since June was full of "empty promises" and would "foolnoone".
The United States and Europe, which have declared the National Coalition the "legitimate representative" of the Syrian people, are press-
ing Assad to leave power as the first step to any process to restore peace in Syria.
But with Russia and China blocking any UN Security Council-approved international action against Assad's regime, the Syrian war is slipping ever deeper into bloodshed with fears of lasting sectarian fractures.
Meanwhile, the Netherlands' Patriot missile batteries yesterday began their journey to fellow Nato member Turkey where they are to defend civilians near the border from a possible Syrian attack.
Around 160 vehicles carrying the missiles and equipment for 300 Dutch support troops left the Bestkazerne military base in Vredepeel in the southeastern Netherlands.
The convoy is headed for Eemshaven port in the north of the country from where it will sail for Turkey and is expected to arrive around January 22.
The United Nations estimates more than 60,000 people have been killed since a brutal crackdown by Assad's forces on peaceful protests 21 months ago stirred the violence.