Saturday, June 23, 2012

Two opposition leaders in new Syrian cabinet

(CBS News) Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad on Saturday approved the formation of a new cabinet by Prime Minister Riad Hijab.

It has a new ministerial post of National Reconciliation, apparently designed to try to help quell the uprising against the rule of the former government, which has grown increasingly violent over the past 15 months.

The new post was taken by prominent opposition figure Ali Haidar, leader of the Syrian Social National Party.

An even higher post was even given to another opposition figure, Qadri Jamil, head of the Popular Front for Change and Liberation, who was assigned as deputy Premier for Economic Affairs and Minister for Trade.