THE DAILY TELEGRAPH: The wife of Syrian president Bashar al Assad appears to have broken an 11-month silence with a letter supporting her husband as his forces bombard the citizens of Homs.
British-born Asma Assad is also believed to have said she was encouraging dialogue over the crisis gripping Syria, and that she was comforting the bereaved.
In an email sent to The Times [£], which has not been verified by The Telegraph, Mrs Assad, 36, wrote that her husband "is the President of Syria, not a faction of Syrians, and the First Lady supports him in that role".
The email is said to have continued: "The First Lady's very busy agenda is still focused on supporting the various charities she has long been involved with and rural development as well as supporting the President as needed.
"These days she is equally involved in bridging gaps and encouraging dialogue. She listens to and comforts the families of the victims of the violence."
Before the crisis in Syria, Mrs Assad was one of the most visible of the female leaders in the Middle East. Raised in Acton in London before moving to New York, she is the daughter of a Harley Street cardiologist. » | Tuesday, February 07, 2012
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