Syrian authorities, opposition to discuss future national dialog
07:54 10/07/2011
DAMASCUS, July 10 (RIA Novosti) - Leaders of Syria's ruling party and opposition will meet in Damascus on Sunday for two-day consultations on the format of the national dialog, a forum to discuss future political reforms.
Some opposition movements rejected an invitation to take part in discussions, saying the government should withdraw troops from Syrian streets and release political prisoners before the dialog begins.
"Not many rejected the invitation to engage in the dialog," the president's media advisor, Bouthaina Shaaban, said. "Those who agreed to take part represent the whole Syrian society and those who took to the streets."
However, some Syrian experts say the majority of the opposition will not take part in Sunday's meeting.
"The authorities cannot engage in dialog with themselves," said Kadri Jamil, an economist and the editor-in-chief of Kassioun newspaper. He called on Syrian political forces to take part in the discussions, saying they were "a fight, too, but a civilized fight."
The future discourse between the Baas party and the opposition is to focus on constitutional amendments and laws about parties, elections, municipal governments and media.
Human rights groups say more than 1,350 protestors have been killed by security forces since the uprising began in March. Official reports, which blame "armed terrorists" for the violence, put the death toll at 340 police and servicemen.
The U.S. Department of State accused the Syrian government and security forces of "repression and harassment of peaceful demonstrators and opposition members."
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