The Syrian government has approved a new law allowing the formation of political parties, reversing a ban on opposition groups since the Ba'ath Party took power in 1963. The state news agency SANA said on Friday the bill is part of a political reform programme, and stipulates that parties cannot be based on a religious, tribal or regional basis. It also says new parties cannot be a branch of a non-Syrian group, or use violence of any kind. Protesters calling for an end to President Bashar al-Assad's authoritarian rule have called on the ruling party to include others in the government.