Assad Cracks?

Some hopeful developments out of Syria:

Katherine Marsh (a pseudonym) in Damascus has just told us that Syria has announced major concessions ahead of planned protests tomorrow. The government says it will look at removing emergency laws, prepare new laws for political parties, media and respond to "legitimate demands".

AP has a bit more on those government concessions in Syria:

Presidential adviser Buthaina Shaaban says the government is drafting a law that would allow political parties besides the ruling Baath party. She tells reporters that President Bashar Assad's government will begin studying a possible ending to the emergency laws in place since 1963 and putting in place mechanisms for fighting corruption. She also promised higher salaries for public servants.

The pledges appear unlikely to satisfy protesters in the city of Daraa after a violent crackdown that killed what many say are dozens of demonstrators.

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