حزب الإصلاح السوري

Syria announces Cabinet changes

Washington DC, October 4, 2004/RPS News/ -- Baschar al-Assad consolidated his powers by naming extremists to a new Syrian cabinet with Ghazi Kanaan heading the ministry of Interior, in charge of internal security. Ghazi Kanaan was Syria's top intelligence general in occupied Lebanon until two years ago.

The car bombing in Syria that killed a Hamas leader recently has shaken the core of the Ba'athist regime who feel that their system has been penetrated by several Arab countries. Kanaan was named to counter that threat to Ba'athism.

Mahdi Dakhlallah, a longtime journalist and editor-in-chief of the official al-Ba'ath newspaper, was made information minister. Farouk al-Sharaa and defense minister Turkemani, both extremists, retained their portfolios. Al-Shara'a has been foreign minister since 1984.

The new ministers are :

Ghazi Kanaan - Minister of Interior

Dr. Ghassan Tayara - Minister of Industry

Dr. Maher al-Houssami - Minister of Health

Dr. Mohammed Ziad al-Ayoubi - Minister of Religion

Dr. Amer Hossini Lutfi - Minister of Economy and Commerce

Mr. Hassan al-Gafari - Minister of Justice

Dr. Deala al-Hajj Aref - Minister of Social Affairs and labor

Reform Party of Syria