Syrian President Bashar al Assad has issued a general amnesty for prisoners that include those deemed to have committed political crimes. This is an attempt by the government to resolve the crisis emanating from the demand for sweeping political reforms in the country. Syria’s official news agency Sana said general amnesty was announced for crimes committed before 31 May this year.Amnesty has been announced for all detainees belonging to political factions. The offer was rejected by the opposition. A Washington-based Syrian dissident Mohammad Abdullah who was attending an opposition conference in Antalya, Turkey said that this is just another plot by the regime to gain time. US State Department spokesman Mark Toner told reporters that it just underscores the fact that Syrian President needs to take concrete steps to address what is going on in the country. The UN High Commissioner for Human Rights Navi Pillay has urged the Syrian Government to respond to her request to dispatch a fact-finding mission in the country. She suggested that the appropriate response is for the authorities to engage in a national, inclusive dialogue to address protestors' legitimate demands.