Minister forecasts Assad's re-election

DAMASCUS, Syria (AP):

Syria's information minister says that ordinary citizens will urge President Bashar Assad to seek re-election next July, and that he would win the vote.

Omran al-Zoubi says the decision to run again for the nation's highest office, however, would be for the president himself to decide.

Zoubi's comments at a Damascus press conference yesterday are the latest in a series of hints by Syrian officials that Assad may seek re-election.

Syria is embroiled in a civil war that began three years ago as an uprising against Assad's rule.

An international conference is expected to be held on January 22 to try resolve the Syria conflict.

Zoubi said any decisions taken by officials at the conference would be put to a referendum in Syria.