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Syria unrest: Divided opposition seeks 'national pact' Syria unrest: Divided opposition seeks 'national pact'
(about 1 hour later)
Syria's divided opposition groups are due to meet in Turkey to try to draw up a "national pact" on how to unseat President Bashar al-Assad's government. Syria's divided opposition groups are meeting in Istanbul to try to achieve a more united front in their efforts to oust President Bashar al-Assad.
The main opposition coalition, the Syrian National Council (SNC), says all other anti-Assad groups have been invited to the gathering in Istanbul. The main opposition coalition, the Syrian National Council (SNC), has said it wants to draw up a "national pact" of common objectives.
The opposition has been weakened by internal disputes, losing support of many Syrians fighting the government. The Arab League and Turkey want the opposition to unite before next week's "Friends of Syria" summit in the city.
Russia has said it backs UN envoy Kofi Annan's peace mission in Syria. Meanwhile, activists say security forces have again been bombarding Homs.
During talks in Moscow, Russian President Dmitry Medvedev said it may be the last chance to avoid a "prolonged and bloody civil war" in Syria. Video posted online showed flames and thick black smoke at two locations in the city, which has been a focus of anti-government unrest.
He also urged Mr Annan, the United Nations and African Union envoy to Syria, to work with both Damascus and the opposition to end the violence. The Syrian Observatory for Human Rights said at least five civilians had been wounded seriously by shelling in the central district of Warsheh.
"Every day the shelling goes on. The regime is wiping out the city," Walid Faris, an activist in Homs, told the Reuters news agency.
Shelling was also reported in Hama, and tanks were seen in the streets of the southern town of Nawa, the Local Co-ordination Committees said.
Turkey also suspended all activities at its embassy in Damascus, a week after its foreign ministry called on all Turkish citizens to leave Syria.
'Unified vision'
The SNC said the aim of the meeting in Istanbul was to produce a "national pact for a New Syria" to group "the common objectives of the Syrian opposition to end the regime's dictatorship and realise the final objective of establishing a pluralist civil and democratic state".
The meeting was "a true opportunity to prove that all of the components of the opposition have the same objectives", the SNC added.
SNC member Mohammed al-Sarmini told the AFP news agency that all factions and members of the opposition were invited.
Katherine al-Talli, a human rights lawyer who was one of five prominent SNC members who resigned earlier this month and formed the Syrian Patriotic Front, said she would attend.
But the rival National Co-ordination Committee (NCC) said it would not.
The chairman of the Syrian National Conference for Change, Ammar al-Qurabi, said that while he welcomed the idea of a "unified vision", it would not be "under the umbrella of the Syrian National Council".
The Syrian National Council has had some international recognition, but remains undermined by internal disputes and by criticism of its exiled leadership from activists inside Syria.
Turkey and Qatar, which holds the rotating chair of the Arab League, had invited the opposition to gather in Istanbul to discuss visions for a free and democratic Syria and agree on a set of shared principles for a peaceful transition.
Western and Arab leaders are due to attend the second "Friends of Syria" meeting on 1 April to discuss what they can do to stop the crackdown on dissent.
The BBC's Jonathan Head in Istanbul says the countries that support a change of government in Syria have long been frustrated by the absence of a strong opposition movement with which they could plan a post-Assad future.
Officially, the US, the European Union and many countries in the Middle East recognise the SNC as a "legitimate representative" of the Syrian people.
In practice, though, the SNC's failure to maintain the support of many Syrians fighting President Assad's government is a source of frustration, and one reason that few states are willing to start arming the opposition, our correspondent says.
On Sunday, an unnamed White House official said the US and Turkey had agreed to provide "non-lethal" assistance, like communications equipment and medical supplies, directly to Syrian opposition groups.
'Last chance'
Russia has objected to any foreign military assistance to armed Syrian rebel groups such as the Free Syrian Army (FSA), and has also vetoed two UN Security Council resolutions condemning the violence in Syria.
However, it has given its full support to the peace mission of the joint UN and Arab League envoy to Syria, Kofi Annan.
During talks with Mr Annan in Moscow, President Dmitry Medvedev said it might be "Syria's last chance to avoid a protracted and bloody civil war". He also urged Mr Annan to work with both Damascus and the opposition to end the violence.
Mr Annan has proposed a six-point peace plan, which calls on government forces to immediately halt the use of heavy weapons in populated areas. He also wants the armed rebels to halt their attacks.Mr Annan has proposed a six-point peace plan, which calls on government forces to immediately halt the use of heavy weapons in populated areas. He also wants the armed rebels to halt their attacks.
Mr Annan will later go to China. A report by Human Rights Watch on Sunday said that Syrian troops were using civilians as human shields during recent military operations.
Russia has vetoed two UN Security Council resolutions on the crisis in Syria, but last week, with China, supported a UN statement on the Annan mission. It quoted witnesses from four towns in the north-western province of Idlib who said that groups of people, often including children, were forced to march in front of troops and armoured vehicles in opposition-held areas.
Clashes continued across Syria on Sunday, with Human Rights Watch accusing government forces of using civilians as human shields. The United Nations says more than 8,000 people have been killed since pro-democracy protests erupted in Syria a year ago.
Activists reported further bombardments and casualties in the Homs area, killing at least five people. The Syrian government has blamed the violence on "armed terrorist gangs" and says more than 2,500 civilians and 1,300 security forces personnel have died.
Shelling was also reported in Hama, and tanks were seen in the streets of the southern town of Nawa, the Local Coordination Committees said.
More than 50 people were reported to have been killed in shelling or shooting by the security forces on Saturday, many of them in Homs.
The UN says the conflict has cost more than 8,000 lives since it began a year.
The Syrian government blames violence on "armed terrorist gangs" and says some 3,000 members of the security forces have been killed.
Foreign media face severe restrictions on reporting in Syria, and it is hard to verify the claims of either side.
Frustration
The SNC says it wants to hammer out a pact of shared objectives with all opposition groups - including those that have recently broken away from the council - during the two-day meeting in Istanbul.
Officially, the US, the EU and many countries in the Middle East recognise the SNC, the BBC's Jonathan Head in Istanbul reports.
In practice, however, the SNC's failure to maintain the support of many anti-Assad activists is a source of frustration, and one reason that few countries are willing to start arming the opposition, our correspondent says.
To achieve the unity, he adds, there should be a substantial change in the SNC's leadership, as Paris-based chairman Burhan Ghalioun and his allies have been repeatedly criticised - even by other SNC members.
The meeting comes as the opposition Free Syrian Army and a rival military council have announced that they will work together to co-ordinate all military activity against the Syrian government.
It also comes ahead of the "Friends of Syria" gathering on 1 April - also in Istanbul.
So, creating a more credible opposition movement is an urgent priority if anti-Assad activists are to win more than the token support they have had so far, our correspondent says.