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| Syria opens 'national dialogue' with opposition | |
| (about 2 hours later) | |
| The Syrian government is holding a two-day meeting with members of the ruling Baath party and its opponents. | |
| The government says the Damascus meeting will begin discussion of possible reforms, including multi-party elections and a new media law. | The government says the Damascus meeting will begin discussion of possible reforms, including multi-party elections and a new media law. |
| But organisers of anti-government protests say they will not attend. | But organisers of anti-government protests say they will not attend. |
| Rights groups estimate that more than 1,750 people, including 350 security personnel, have been killed as the government tries to quell the protests. | Rights groups estimate that more than 1,750 people, including 350 security personnel, have been killed as the government tries to quell the protests. |
| The government has blamed "armed criminal gangs" for the unrest, which began in mid-March as protests swept other nations in the Middle East and North Africa. | The government has blamed "armed criminal gangs" for the unrest, which began in mid-March as protests swept other nations in the Middle East and North Africa. |
| State media say Baath party officials, opposition figures, independents, academics and youth activists will be at this first "national dialogue". | State media say Baath party officials, opposition figures, independents, academics and youth activists will be at this first "national dialogue". |
| This initial meeting is due to last two days and set up a process, the timeframe of which has not yet been established. | This initial meeting is due to last two days and set up a process, the timeframe of which has not yet been established. |
| When President Bashar al-Assad first announced the dialogue last month he said he wanted a comprehensive process that would deal with the different issues facing the Syrian people. | When President Bashar al-Assad first announced the dialogue last month he said he wanted a comprehensive process that would deal with the different issues facing the Syrian people. |
| The credibility of the national dialogue process will depend to a large extent on which opposition figures participate, says the BBC's Owen Bennett-Jones in Beirut. | The credibility of the national dialogue process will depend to a large extent on which opposition figures participate, says the BBC's Owen Bennett-Jones in Beirut. |
| International journalists have been denied access to Syria. | International journalists have been denied access to Syria. |
| Organisers of the anti-government protest movement in Syria gave the slogan No Dialogue Friday to the demonstrations two days ago. | Organisers of the anti-government protest movement in Syria gave the slogan No Dialogue Friday to the demonstrations two days ago. |