Sources within the ruling Baath Party in Syria reported that on the second day of the conference, Abdel Halim Khaddam, the Syrian Vice President, was absent from the meeting of the Political Committee in the 10th NationalCongress of the Baath Party. The conference, chaired by Farouq Al-Shara, the Syrian Foreign Minister, saw Khaddam’s limited attendance, only participating in part of the meeting of the Economic Committee. In a statement to Elaf, the sources stated that Khaddam had requested to be relieved of his positions in the party and authority on the first day of the 10th Qatari Conference of the ruling Baath Party in Syria.