Bashar al-Assad, Syria's president, says the country's state of emergency should be lifted by next week.

Inside Story, with presenter Darren Jordon, discusses with guests: Walid Saffour, president of the Syrian Human Rights Committee; Ivan Eland, a senior fellow and Director of the Centre of Peace and Liberty, at the Independent Institute.

This episode of Inside Story aired on Sunday, April 17, 2011.