Country Profile

Syria is situated in the Middle East and borders Iraq, Israel, Jordan, Lebanon and Turkey. Following World War I, France acquired a mandate over the northern portion of the former Ottoman Empire province of Syria. The French administered the area as Syria until granting it independence in 1946. The new country lacked political stability, however, and experienced a series of military coups during its first decades. Syria united with Egypt in February 1958 to form the United Arab Republic. In S...

Al-Assad's View on Arab Revolutions

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, who inherited a regime that has held power for four decades, said he will push for more political reforms in his country, in a sign of how Egypt's violent revolt is forcing leaders across the region to rethink their approaches. In a rare interview, Mr. Assad told The Wall Street Journal that the protests in Egypt, Tunisia and Yemen are ushering in a "new era" in the Middle East, and that Arab rulers would need to do more to accommodate their people'...

Report of ‘The Arab Revolts’ Discussion

The recent developments in Tunesia and Egypt are of vast importance and could lead to radical political and social transformations. News from Egypt changes rapidly and Western scholars have yet to determine where this is heading. Last Tuesday, the 1st of February, several experts gathered at the University of Amsterdam for a discussion around the questions: who are the demonstrators? What was the trigger for the recent demonstrations? What are the most important viewpoints? What is the role o...