DAMASCUS, Sept 1 (KUNA) -- Nationwide national conciliation dialogue is due to be launched on Monday as a prelude to holding a broad national convention, the state-run newspaper, "Al-Baath," said in its edition published on Thursday.
The national dialogue, due to be launched on Monday and last till the 20th of the month, would be held at the level of committees, set up in each of the country's governorates, Al-Baath said.
The commissions, formed to prepare for the broad conciliation convention, would include representatives of the government, political, social activists and economic figures, leaders of the opposition parties, academic figures and members of unions.
Agenda of the talks at the level of the commissions deal with political reforms, economic and social affairs.
These committees will draft plans for reforms and specify the social and economic needs in each of the country's provinces -- to be submitted to the premiership. They will also list the candidates for taking part in the scheduled general convention for the national dialogue.
Among the topics to be tackled, according to Al-Baath, are means for preserving the national unity, facing the "external conspiracy, the questions of the constitution, basic laws, political parties, the elections and role of the media." The conferees are also scheduled to address various other topics, namely the financial and taxation policies, trade, protection of the national product, investment affairs, employment, creating jobs, development of the agricultural, industrial and energy sectors, as well as education and health services.
Al-Baath said implementation of plans for developing these sectors and tackling these issues would be tied to schedules.
The government, facing popular unrest and protests by activists calling for reforms, has vowed to press ahead with the process of reforms. (end) tk.rk KUNA 011036 Sep 11NNNN