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Syria dissidents meet in Damascus to discuss transition | Syria dissidents meet in Damascus to discuss transition |
(40 minutes later) | |
Some 150 Syrian dissidents are attending a conference in Damascus on Monday to discuss the country's crisis. | Some 150 Syrian dissidents are attending a conference in Damascus on Monday to discuss the country's crisis. |
It is the first time such an event is taking place since anti-government protests broke out in March. | It is the first time such an event is taking place since anti-government protests broke out in March. |
Some of those attending have spent time in prison in the past for their political activities. | Some of those attending have spent time in prison in the past for their political activities. |
But they do not represent political parties or activists involved in recent protests. Some opposition members cast doubt over the validity of the meeting. | But they do not represent political parties or activists involved in recent protests. Some opposition members cast doubt over the validity of the meeting. |
The Syrian authorities are said to have been informed of the meeting and have not blocked it, but there will be no government representation at the event. | The Syrian authorities are said to have been informed of the meeting and have not blocked it, but there will be no government representation at the event. |
The participants say they are not making concessions to the government and they want an end to the violence and killings. | |
The government is making a show of looking for the middle ground to solve the crisis, but they are also seen to be playing for time, says the BBC's Lina Sinjab in Damascus. | The government is making a show of looking for the middle ground to solve the crisis, but they are also seen to be playing for time, says the BBC's Lina Sinjab in Damascus. |
Unease | Unease |
There has already been unease expressed by some opposition activists, who fear that holding such a meeting while the violence and repression continue could confer legitimacy on the regime, says the BBC's Jim Muir in neighbouring Lebanon. | |
"The Damascus Declaration coalition - this is the main opposition coalition in Syria - have actually come out against this meeting," Malik al-Abdeh, an editor of Barada TV, a Syrian opposition channel, told the BBC World Service's World Today programme. | |
"The regime is obviously happy for this conference to take place." | "The regime is obviously happy for this conference to take place." |
"In Syria, there are three or four opposition figures who spent time in jail, who are actually attending this meeting. But apart from that, all the other people I have seen on the list, they are not known to be opposition figures," he added. | |
"So this certainly is not an opposition conference, this is just a meeting of intellectuals all discussing the future of Syria under, I have to stress this, under the close watchful eye of the Syrian security." | "So this certainly is not an opposition conference, this is just a meeting of intellectuals all discussing the future of Syria under, I have to stress this, under the close watchful eye of the Syrian security." |
Others have insisted that those taking part must stick to their basic demand, that the regime has to go, and make way for democracy. | Others have insisted that those taking part must stick to their basic demand, that the regime has to go, and make way for democracy. |
The meeting comes three months after pro-democracy protests started, as the authorities in Syria continue with their security crackdown. | The meeting comes three months after pro-democracy protests started, as the authorities in Syria continue with their security crackdown. |