[Script Info]
Title: 
[Events]
Format: Layer, Start, End, Style, Name, MarginL, MarginR, MarginV, Effect, Text
Dialogue: 0,0:00:00.44,0:00:02.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Well, in Syria, the president there has promised
Dialogue: 0,0:00:02.96,0:00:05.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to consider reforms after a week of violent protest
Dialogue: 0,0:00:05.83,0:00:07.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,in the southern city of Daraa
Dialogue: 0,0:00:07.16,0:00:10.17,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But that hasn't stopped protesters, who have called
Dialogue: 0,0:00:10.17,0:00:12.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,for country-wide demonstrations on Friday
Dialogue: 0,0:00:12.72,0:00:14.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thousands of the people were on the streets on Thursday
Dialogue: 0,0:00:14.52,0:00:17.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to mourn people they say were shot during
Dialogue: 0,0:00:17.58,0:00:19.14,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the government's crackdown.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:19.14,0:00:22.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,There are reports that Bashar al-Assad will speak to the nation
Dialogue: 0,0:00:22.00,0:00:23.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,within the next few hours to try
Dialogue: 0,0:00:23.60,0:00:25.50,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to calm the situtation.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:25.50,0:00:28.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Rula Amin joins me now from Damascus.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:28.08,0:00:32.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Rula, as we say, the president expected to address
Dialogue: 0,0:00:32.68,0:00:36.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,his population. He has offered some quite substantial
Dialogue: 0,0:00:36.08,0:00:38.41,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,concessions, but they don't seem to be—
Dialogue: 0,0:00:38.41,0:00:40.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,or we don't know yet
Dialogue: 0,0:00:40.68,0:00:42.24,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,—whether they're going to have an impact
Dialogue: 0,0:00:42.24,0:00:45.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on the day's protests.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:45.32,0:00:48.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yes, it remains to be seen. However, we did speak
Dialogue: 0,0:00:48.32,0:00:50.42,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to many Syrians, including the people in Daraa.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:50.42,0:00:53.33,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And, the response to these measures is mixed.
Dialogue: 0,0:00:53.33,0:00:55.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, the activists, and the hardcore opposition activists
Dialogue: 0,0:00:55.76,0:00:57.19,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,are very skeptical
Dialogue: 0,0:00:57.19,0:00:59.72,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and they say these are just lip service, and
Dialogue: 0,0:00:59.72,0:01:03.00,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,won't change much. Others do give the president
Dialogue: 0,0:01:03.00,0:01:04.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the benefit of the doubt, and they say this
Dialogue: 0,0:01:04.58,0:01:07.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,is a good start. Let's give him some time.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:07.32,0:01:09.08,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Maybe it will materialize.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:09.08,0:01:10.13,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And, maybe there will be change in Syria
Dialogue: 0,0:01:10.13,0:01:13.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,without having, or forcing the people
Dialogue: 0,0:01:13.32,0:01:14.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to go into the street.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:14.80,0:01:16.92,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,We have to remember, the protests have been
Dialogue: 0,0:01:16.92,0:01:19.58,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,confined to Daraa despite seven days
Dialogue: 0,0:01:19.58,0:01:23.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,of very strong clashes, where dozens were killed.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:23.48,0:01:25.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The capital remained quiet,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:25.70,0:01:28.20,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and so have the rest of the Syrian towns.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:28.20,0:01:30.30,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, today, it's going to be a challenge
Dialogue: 0,0:01:30.30,0:01:33.97,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and a test, both for the activists and the opposition, and the government.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:33.97,0:01:36.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If the people take to the streets in other towns,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:36.68,0:01:38.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,maybe the concessions are too late.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:38.80,0:01:41.70,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,If they don't, it means the president has managed
Dialogue: 0,0:01:41.70,0:01:43.76,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to contain the crisis in Daraa,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:43.76,0:01:46.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and that some of the people, some Syrians at least
Dialogue: 0,0:01:46.40,0:01:49.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,have bought his line, and are giving him time
Dialogue: 0,0:01:49.48,0:01:51.90,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and putting some faith in these new measures.
Dialogue: 0,0:01:51.90,0:01:55.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,But, the fact that the measures have been offered
Dialogue: 0,0:01:55.96,0:01:57.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,at all Rula, to put this into context for us,
Dialogue: 0,0:01:57.80,0:02:00.40,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,how surprising is that, given that this is a regime
Dialogue: 0,0:02:00.40,0:02:04.16,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,which has a history of heavy handed brutal crackdowns
Dialogue: 0,0:02:04.16,0:02:06.84,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,on any kind of uprising?
Dialogue: 0,0:02:06.84,0:02:10.66,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Yes, six months ago, nobody would have dreamt
Dialogue: 0,0:02:10.66,0:02:12.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that these kinds of concessions would have
Dialogue: 0,0:02:12.68,0:02:14.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,been made in Syria, but by a month ago it seemed
Dialogue: 0,0:02:14.88,0:02:16.63,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,very logical.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:16.63,0:02:18.68,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, I arrived here on Sunday, and the minute
Dialogue: 0,0:02:18.68,0:02:21.60,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,I arrived, it was obvious that both the people
Dialogue: 0,0:02:21.60,0:02:22.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the Syrian people and the government
Dialogue: 0,0:02:22.81,0:02:26.10,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,realize that change is coming to Syria,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:26.10,0:02:27.43,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and the government knows it cannot continue
Dialogue: 0,0:02:27.43,0:02:29.36,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,with its old ways.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:29.36,0:02:30.48,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And, the president had made it clear
Dialogue: 0,0:02:30.48,0:02:33.27,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,he understands the need to reform
Dialogue: 0,0:02:33.27,0:02:34.88,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and he will do it.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:34.88,0:02:37.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The people want it now, they want it serious
Dialogue: 0,0:02:37.32,0:02:40.12,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,they want it meaningful, and they don't want to wait.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:40.12,0:02:41.94,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And, there's a race with time.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:41.94,0:02:43.55,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Now, some people believe that the president
Dialogue: 0,0:02:43.55,0:02:45.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,himself wants to change, but he is surrounded by
Dialogue: 0,0:02:45.96,0:02:49.77,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,a group of people, or the system itself,
Dialogue: 0,0:02:49.77,0:02:51.81,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,that's not allowing him to do what he wants to do.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:51.81,0:02:54.52,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,This is kind of giving him the benefit of the doubt.
Dialogue: 0,0:02:54.52,0:02:58.02,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,The protest in Syria, in Daraa, added more
Dialogue: 0,0:02:58.02,0:03:01.32,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,pressure on the government, and made the government
Dialogue: 0,0:03:01.32,0:03:02.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,feel that it's very urgent to act now
Dialogue: 0,0:03:02.96,0:03:04.64,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,before it's too late.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:04.64,0:03:06.83,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,So, for now, it seems the president is keen
Dialogue: 0,0:03:06.83,0:03:08.56,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to contain the crisis in Syria
Dialogue: 0,0:03:08.56,0:03:09.74,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,and he's determined.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:09.75,0:03:11.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,People want to make sure he's also determined
Dialogue: 0,0:03:11.96,0:03:15.47,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,to bring change to Syria, not just to contain the crisis.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:15.47,0:03:16.96,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,And, of course, we will be following
Dialogue: 0,0:03:16.96,0:03:18.95,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,the developments there with you Rula.
Dialogue: 0,0:03:18.95,0:03:21.80,Default,,0000,0000,0000,,Thanks very much indeed, for now Rulla, in Damascus.