Libya, Syria (and Beyond) LiveBlog: The Grind of the Fight
Monday, June 27, 2011 at 6:09 | Scott Lucas in Africa, EA Global, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran Protesters in the Barzeh section of the Syrian capital Damascus are beaten and put in the trunks of cars (see 0615 GMT)
2040 GMT: A series of developments in Syria tonight after the meeting of opposition activists and intellectuals in Damascus....
About 200 people attended the discussion. Lawyer Louay Hussein, one of the organisers, declared, "The tyrannical regime in power must go. We are here to speak openly and freely. The political system may fall and we must work from now to prevent society from crumbling."
In a joint statement, the participants declared that they would be "part of Syria's peaceful uprising for freedom and democracy and pluralism to establish a democratic state through peaceful means".
However, some Syrians abroad rejected the initiative. "I think the people meeting today are grooming themselves to be a part of that, but they are independents so they don't represent any of the main opposition fronts and coalitions," said Anas al-Abdah, London-based head of the Damascus Declaration's "abroad chapter". The group, one of Syria's best-known opposition groups, boycotted Monday's meeting as it "convenes with the agreement and consent of the Syrian security services".
Syrian authorities have set a date for a "national dialogue" beginning 10 July.
