The US State Department said on Sunday that the peace initiative, outlined by Assad, is "detached from reality" and he should step down.

Syria has been experiencing unrest since mid-March 2011. Earlier in the day, the Syrian president introduced a comprehensive peace plan that includes a national reconciliation conference, and the formation of a national government, which would then supervise new elections, a new constitution, and general amnesty.

Assad's speech "is yet another attempt by the regime to cling to power and does nothing to advance the Syrian people's goal of a political transition. His initiative is detached from reality," State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland claimed.

She said such measure would only undermine the efforts of UN-Arab League Envoy Lakhdar Brahimi to establish peace in Syria.

British Prime Minister David Cameron reacted similarly and called on Assad to step down.

And British Foreign Secretary William Hague said Assad's speech was full of "empty promises" and would "fool no-one."

In his speech to the Syrian people, Assad slammed certain Western states and their regional allies for their support of "murderous criminals" who are fighting the Syrian government.

Assad told the Syrians that "we are in a state of war. We are fighting an external aggression that is more dangerous than any others, because they use us to kill each other."

"It is a war between the [Syrian] nation and its enemies, between the people and the murderous criminals," he added.

Speaking at the Opera House in central Damascus, Assad said that his government will always extend its hand for dialogue with the opposition and political parties.

The Syrian president, however, said that the government “will not have dialogue with a puppet made by the West."

“Government will call for a comprehensive national dialogue” soon, he stated.

“Syria wants peace and reconciliation,” he noted, adding that “armed groups must halt terrorist acts.”

Source: PressTV