"As for the threat of a military action ... any action against Syria will have greater consequences (on those who carry it out), greater than they can tolerate," Assad told Syrian television on August 22.

"As for the security situation (it) has become more militant in the recent weeks," Assad said. "We are capable of dealing with it... I am not worried."

Assad faces growing Western calls to step down over his harsh crackdown on more than five months of protests in which the United Nations says around 2,000 civilians have died.

No country has proposed the kind of action against Syria which NATO forces have carried out in support of Libyan rebels seeking to topple Muammar Gaddafi. But the West has called on Assad to step down and Washington has imposed new sanctions.

The opposition has dismissed Assad's promised political reforms and many opposition figures have rejected his call for a national dialogue, saying there can be no discussion while security forces continue to kill protesters.

Reuters