Vote Brings Assad Closer to Presidency

Syria’s ruling Baath Party elected Bashar Assad, 34, to the post of secretary-general of its executive, bringing him another step closer to the presidency left vacant by the June 10 death of his father, Hafez Assad. The late president came to power after a 1970 coup. The unanimous vote in Damascus, the capital, for Assad to head the 21-member regional command came a day before parliament was expected to approve his nomination for the presidency. The two-day session was also expected to set a date for a presidential referendum, in which Assad is likely to be the only candidate.