“The meeting will start with the national anthem and a one-minute silence in honor of the martyrs. Then Vice-president Farouk al Sharaa will address the meeting. A moderator will be chosen before interlocutors start their discussions.

 

“Informed sources said that the chairmen of the committees to draft the media law, the elections law, and the party law, will be present in order to listen to interpositions on the drafts they have been working on. …

 

“The meeting will be concluded Monday evening with recommendations that will be raised to the Syrian leadership, for ratification. …

 

“Until last night, 180 individuals have confirmed their participation in the meeting today. This includes 40 members of the Baath Party and others from the National Progressive Front, in addition to representatives of the syndicates and independents.

 

“The opposition has refused to attend the meeting, saying that ‘the environment is not suitable for this.’ …

 

“But sources in the Coordination Commission of the National Dialogue said that the Commission has decided to go ahead and convene the meeting, being only ‘the beginning and not the end (of the dialogue …) leaving the door ‘open and the hand stretched out for those who want to join later. …”