▁Sy ria ▁was ▁estimated ▁at ▁ 8 0 0 , 0 0 0 . ▁Key ▁party ▁org ans ▁in ▁Sy ria ▁are ▁Al - B a ' ath ▁and ▁Al - Th aw ra . ▁ ▁The ▁Sy rian ▁Regional ▁Command ▁has ▁ 2 1 ▁members . ▁As ▁of ▁ 1 9 8 7 , ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Regional ▁Command ▁compr ised ▁the ▁three ▁vice ▁pres idents ▁of ▁the ▁Sy rian ▁Arab ▁Republic , ▁the ▁Prime ▁Minister , ▁the ▁Minister ▁of ▁Def ense , ▁the ▁Chief ▁of ▁Staff ▁of ▁the ▁Ar med ▁Forces , ▁the ▁parliament ary ▁speaker , ▁the ▁Ale ppo ▁and ▁H ama ▁party ▁secret aries ▁as ▁well ▁as ▁the ▁heads ▁of ▁the ▁party ▁b ure aus ▁for ▁trade ▁un ions , ▁economy ▁and ▁higher ▁education . ▁ ▁The ▁sevent h ▁Sy rian ▁regional ▁party ▁con gress ▁was ▁held ▁in ▁January ▁ 1 9 8 0 . ▁The ▁con gress ▁created ▁a ▁new ▁institution , ▁the ▁Central ▁Committee , ▁to ▁act ▁as ▁an ▁inter medi ary ▁body ▁between ▁the ▁Regional ▁Command ▁and ▁local ▁branches . ▁The ▁Central ▁Committee ▁had ▁ 7 5 ▁members . ▁The ▁e ighth ▁regional ▁con gress ▁decided ▁to ▁expand ▁the ▁Central ▁Committee ▁to ▁ 9 5 ▁members . ▁The ▁Central ▁Committee ▁was ▁charged ▁with ▁elect ing ▁the ▁Regional ▁Command , ▁which ▁previously ▁had ▁been ▁done ▁by ▁the ▁regional ▁con gress ▁deleg ates . ▁The ▁Central ▁Committee ▁represents ▁the ▁regional ▁con gress ▁when ▁the ▁con gress ▁is ▁not ▁in ▁session . ▁ ▁The ▁party ▁has ▁ 1 9