(ROUGH CUT -- NO REPORTER NARRATION)<br/> <br />Syrian President Bashar al-Assad announced what he described as a peace plan on Sunday (January 6), calling for a reconciliation conference with "those who have not betrayed Syria", to be followed by the formation of a new government and an amnesty.<br/> <br />"The first stage of a political solution would require that regional powers stop funding and arming (the opposition), an end to terrorist operations and controlling the borders," he said in a speech at the opera house in central Damascus, his first public comments in months.<br/> <br />"We will not have dialogue with a puppet made by the West," he said.<br/> <br />As he moved to leave the stage, chanting supporters rushed up to greet Assad, crowding round the leader, who later was seen smiling and shaking people's hands.<br/> <br />x
