Assad blames on conspiracy

* No order given to fire on civilians
* March vote on new Syria constitution
* Vows iron fist against 'terrorists'
Syria's President Bashar al-Assad blamed foreign plotters yesterday for the deadly 10-month-old protests against his regime and vowed to crush their "terrorism" with an iron fist.
In a rare speech just hours before the UN Security Council was to discuss Syria, Assad denied that security forces had orders to open fire on civilian protesters, even as activists reported 10 youths were shot dead by regime gunmen at a peaceful rally.
Assad said the unrest, which the United Nations estimated last month has cost more than 5,000 lives since March, would only come to an end "when the flow of funds and weapons coming from abroad stops."
"Regional and international parties who are trying to destabilise Syria can no longer falsify the facts and events," the embattled leader said in the nearly two-hour televised speech.
He hit out at emigre opponents of his rule, accusing them of being tools of foreign powers.
He said a new constitution being drawn up by a committee set up in October to replace the current one, which enshrines his Baath party's dominant role, could be put to a popular vote as early as March.
Assad said restoring security was the "absolute priority" for Syria and pledged his government would tackle terrorism with an "iron fist," after a Damascus suicide bombing killed 26 people on Friday.
"There can be no let-up for terrorism -- it must be hit with an iron fist," he said.
He also hit out at the Arab League involving the withdrawal of troops from towns and cities and the opening of negotiations with the opposition.
He asked what right governments whose countries belong to the pan-Arab organisation, including the absolute monarchies of the Gulf, had to lecture Syria about democracy or reform.
The Syrian National Council, the largest opposition umbrella group, branded Assad's speech an "incitement to violence," indicating "more criminal behaviour" by the regime.
The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least 11 civilians were killed by security force fire yesterday, 10 at a demonstration in Deir Ezzor in the northeast and the other at a checkpoint in the central city of Homs.