In this photo released on the official Facebook page of the Syrian Presidency, Syrian President Bashar Assad, right, addresses a speech to the newly-elected parliament at the parliament building, in Damascus, Syria, Tuesday, June 7, 2016. Assad has vowed to liberate every inch of the country the way government forces captured the historic town of Palmyra from the Islamic State group. (AP Photo/Syrian Presidency via Facebook)

DAMASCUS: Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad hardened his position on UN-sponsored peace talks in his first address to the newly elected parliament broadcast on state television yesterday. "We will not agree to any topic outside the statement of principles we presented to the UN. We just won't accept it," Assad told lawmakers. The document submitted by the government delegation stresses that Syria will be ruled by a "unity government" - not a "transitional governing body" without Assad as called for by the opposition.

Assad said he had received no response from the UN regarding this paper and that in the government's eyes, "the negotiations have not actually started". Assad said he would win back "every inch" of Syria and said Aleppo would be a graveyard for the hopes and dreams of Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan, a major sponsor of the insurgents battling to topple him. Assad was addressing lawmakers for the first time since an April general election in government-controlled areas that was dismissed internationally as a sham. "The Syrian people surprised the world yet again with an unprecedented voter turnout... and an unprecedented number of candidates," Assad said.

Syria's conflict began in 2011 with protests calling for Assad to step down, and several rounds of UN-backed peace talks have failed to bring an end to what has become a complex civil war. In February, the United States and regime ally Russia brokered a ceasefire between government forces and non-jihadist rebels in an effort to bolster the peace negotiations. The ceasefire has allowed Syria's armed forces to focus on key fronts, Assad said, including the historic city of Palmyra - where regime forces backed by Russia defeated the Islamic State jihadist group in March.

"As we liberated Palmyra, so shall we liberate every inch of Syria... we have no choice but victory," he said to applause from lawmakers. It was unclear if the speech was broadcast live or pre-recorded earlier this week. Assad's last address to parliament was in June 2012, just after general elections in May of that year.

Assad accused Erdogan of recently sending thousands of militants to Aleppo, a province of northern Syria bordering Turkey where the ancient city of the same name is located. Aleppo and the surrounding area is divided between areas of government and rebel control, and escalating fighting there helped bring about the failure of a cessation of hostilities agreed in February. Assad thanked Russia, Iran, China and the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah for the support they had provided. Alluding to suggestions of divisions in the alliance, particularly between Iran and Russia, Assad said people should not listen to reports about "differences, struggles and divisions". - Agencies