Legislative branch: unicameral People's Council (Majlis al-Chaab): elections last held 24-25 August 1994 (next to be held NA 1998); results - percent of vote by party NA; seats - (250 total) National Progressive Front 167, independents 83
Judicial branch: Supreme Constitutional Court, justices are
appointed for four-year terms by the president; High Judicial
Council; Court of Cassation; State Security Courts
Political parties and leaders:
National Progressive Front includes: the ruling Arab Socialist
Renaissance (Ba'th) Party, Hafiz al-ASAD, president of the republic,
secretary general of the party, and chairman of the National
Progressive Front; Syrian Arab Socialist Party (ASP), 'Abd al-Ghani
KANNUT; Arab Socialist Union (ASU), Jamal ATASSI; Syrian Communist
Party (SCP), Wisal FARHAH; Arab Socialist Unionist Movement, Sami
SOUFAN; and Democratic Socialist Union Party, Ghassan UTHMAN
Other political or pressure groups: non-Ba'th parties have little
effective political influence; Communist party ineffective;
conservative religious leaders; Muslim Brotherhood
International organization participation: ABEDA, AFESD, AL, AMF,
CAEU, CCC, ESCWA, FAO, G-24, G-77, IAEA, IBRD, ICAO, ICC, ICRM, IDA,
IDB, IFAD, IFC, IFRCS, ILO, IMF, IMO, Intelsat, Interpol, IOC, ISO,
ITU, NAM, OAPEC, OIC, UN, UNCTAD, UNESCO, UNIDO, UNRWA, UPU, WFTU,
WHO, WMO, WToO
Diplomatic representation in US:
chief of mission: Ambassador Walid MUALEM
chancery: 2215 Wyoming Avenue NW, Washington, DC 20008
telephone: [1] (202) 232-6313
FAX: [1] (202) 234-9548
US diplomatic representation: chief of mission: Ambassador Christopher W. S. ROSS embassy: Abou Roumaneh, Al-Mansur Street No. 2, Damascus mailing address: P. O. Box 29, Damascus telephone: [963] (11) 333-2814, 333-0788, 332-0783 FAX: [963] (11) 224-7938
Flag: three equal horizontal bands of red (top), white, and black with two small green five-pointed stars in a horizontal line centered in the white band; similar to the flag of Yemen, which has a plain white band and of Iraq, which has three green stars (plus an Arabic inscription) in a horizontal line centered in the white band; also similar to the flag of Egypt, which has a symbolic eagle centered in the white band
Economy ———-
Economic overview: During 1990-92 Syria's state-dominated economy benefited from the Gulf war, increased oil production, good weather, and economic reform. Economic growth averaged roughly 10%. The war led to a Syrian aid windfall of nearly $5 billion from Arab, European, and Japanese donors. Most positive economic trends ended in 1993 due to the dissipation of the Gulf war boom, a domestic financial crisis, and economic policy missteps. Economic growth has dropped below 5%, income inequality is increasing, the government budget deficit is growing, and international accounts are weakening. For the long run, Syria's economy is saddled with a large number of poorly performing public sector firms and low industrial productivity. Oil production is likely to ebb by the end of the decade. Unemployment will likely rise as the more than 60% of the population under age 20 moves into the labor force. The economic benefits of any peace treaty with Israel will depend in large part on the pace of economic reform.