DAMASCUS: Syrian President Bashar al-Assad on Thursday appointed former culture minister Najah al-Attar as a second vice president, the official news agency SANA reported. Attar is the first woman to hold such a high position in Syria. By appointing her, Assad completes filling the country's two mostly ceremonial posts, which became vacant last year. Assad last month appointed former foreign minister Farouq al-Shara as vice president, replacing Abdel-Halim Khaddam who resigned last year and later defected to France.