Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said Tuesday in a national speech that the committee entrusted with rewriting the Syrian constitution is at its final stages.

In his fourth national speech since the unrest started in Syria in March, Assad said the upcoming constitution will be focused on political, party pluralism and institutions.

Assad said there would be a referendum on the constitution at the beginning of March.

Meanwhile, he said he welcomes the idea of expanding the government to include all political forces.