Syria-based opposition, gov't in national dialogue
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E-mail China.org.cn, March 25, 2013
Syria's domestically-based opposition groups and the government on Sunday made a preliminary step toward national reconciliation in the unrest-laden country as they launched the National Dialogue Forum in Damascus.
The two-day forum, by discussing the initiative put forward by President Bashar al-Assad and the visions of the opposition groups, aims to reach a common ground that could set a stage for more inclusive talks.
However, two major opposition groups, the National Coordination Body (NCB) and the Building Syria State, rejected the meeting, which was held as Moaz al-Khatib, head of the Syrian opposition coalition in exile resigned due to frustration with the international community's inability to deter the bloodshed in Syria.
On the sidelines of the forum, Fayez Sayegh, a lawmaker, told Xinhua that the meeting aims to "kick off the political process led by the Syrians themselves."
He said at the government is expected to stress rejecting armed conflicts as the key way to end the crisis and also the need to pressure the countries that back the rebels to stop their arms supplies for them.
In his part, Maher Merhej, leader of the Damascus-based National Youth Party, said his group has made "advancement" in communicating with the Free Syrian Army rebels.
He said, however, that the complicated situation on ground and the presence of al-Qaida fighters in Syria have hindered the participation of rebels in the forum.
He also claimed "I can speak on behalf of many armed groups in the countryside of Damascus, Hasaka and Homs... they are ready to lay down weapons when a political deal is concluded."
"This (dialogue) is the right path for Syria to solve its problems and thus ... must be supported and followed," said Anis al-Naqqash, a prominent Lebanese political analyst who attended the forum.
(Xinhua contributed to the story)
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