Pressespiegel Juli 2009 3 Herausgeber der seirt einiger Zeit in Syrien verbotenen Website all4Syria, beschreibt diese Entwicklung. Zuvor war das Thema der Parteireform bereits im Mai diesen Jahres in einem ungewöhnlichen Zeitungsinterview mit Haytham Satayhi, dem Vorsitzenden des Kultur ‐ und Medienbüros der Baath ‐ Partei, zur Sprache gekommen. Satayhi erklärte, es gebe ernsthafte interne Diskussionen darüber, wie die sozialistische Doktrin der Partei mit den Entwicklungen der syrischen Privatwirtschaft zusammengeführt werden könne. Ziel der Debatte sei es, „die höchste Autorität der Baath ‐ Partei zu bewahren und gleichzeitig die neuen liberalen Wirtschaftstendenzen mitaufzunehmen“, so das prominente Mitglied der Baath ‐ Partei. Die Partei wolle eine Verbindung zwischen ihren sozialistischen Prinzipien und dem Privatsektor schaffen, um lokale und internationale Investitionen zu ermutigen, welche„den ärmeren Klassen Garantien bieten“ würden. Satayhi erklärte weiter, die Partei wolle ihre Verantwortlichkeit darauf beschränken, die allgemeinen Strategien des Landes zu entwerfen und seine Institutionen zu beobachten, um nicht weiter„in Verwaltungsdetails zu versinken“(al ‐ Watan 28.05.2009). system were also foiled. In 2005, during the party ʹ s last national conference, the national command recommended the establishment of a multi ‐ party political system and the modification of the repressive emergency laws that have governed political and civil life in the country since the 1960s. But all decisions regarding the renewal of the party were frozen by the leadership because the country was said to be under tremendous western pressure, some observers say. According to Abdulnor, there was now a revived plan within the Baath to move gradually towards a multi ‐ party system. But he said that the new potential parties would still be led only by businessmen or conservative clerics who vow loyalty to the Baath regime. Abdulnor said that many members of the Baath have been become weary of the stagnation in the party. He said that almost 80 per cent of the members have stopped attending the party ʹ s regular meetings because their demands for ‚modernising the country and opening up to other political forces’ are not being heard by the party leadership.“ (Middle East Online 27.06.2009) Whether socialism: Syria Baath Party debates renewal „Some observers say that the Baath party has become dominated by a class of businessmen who have been pushing for the liberalisation of the economy. Ayman Abdulnor(…) said that economic laws were being changed to suit ‚the sons of powerful people and prominent party individuals’.(…) Many say that the party needed to modernise its structure because it has become burdened by the size and inefficiency of the state ʹ s institutions. ‚Every decision, every appointment of any small employee needs the approval of the Baath party,’ said Abdulnor, adding that this process has exhausted the party and led to bureaucracy and corruption.(…) Although in 2003 the Baath national command recommended the separation of the Baath party and the executive power governing the country, the move was never adopted. Further attempts to modernise the