Assad Critics Meet in Damascus After Leader’s Dialogue Call

Syrian intellectuals and academics who are critics of President Bashar al-Assad’s government are meeting at a conference in Damascus that some activists say is intended to set the stage for a dialogue.

As many as 200 people may attend today’s event in the capital, and there is talk among some involved with the conference that supporters of the government also will there, Mahmoud Merhi, head of the Arab Organization for Human Rights, said by phone today.