DAMASCUS, Syria, Feb. 20 (UPI) -- Damascus views international peace and security as a strategic principle, the preamble to the country's draft constitution reads.
Damascus announced last week that President Bashar Assad called for a national referendum for a new draft constitution for next Sunday. The state-run Syrian Arab News Agency published the 157-article draft in its entirety Monday.
"The Syrian Arab Republic considers international peace and security a key objective and a strategic choice and it works on achieving both of them under the international law and the values of right and justice," the preamble reads.
The constitution would impose a seven-year term limit on the president. There is no mention of the ruling Baath Party in the draft document.
Syrian forces are accused of taking a heavy hand against opponents of Assad's regime. The United Nations estimates close to 6,000 people have been killed since an uprising began last March.
The U.N. Security Council has been unable to pass a resolution censuring Damascus for the violence. Veto-wielding Russia says a resolution would open the door to international military intervention, though some U.N. officials have said Syria is on the brink of civil war.
The constitution notes the country has faced challenges to its "national sovereignty," which it said "formed the incentive" to develop the new constitution.
Parliamentary elections would come within 90 days of the constitution's approval.
