American officials said Monday that they were pleased with a decision by the Syrian government to allow opposition groups seeking to unseat dictator Bashar al-Assad to meet in Damascus. Some 200 activists protesting Assad's continued rule met in Damascus Monday, to discuss their agenda for the future. "We are meeting today ... to put forward a vision about how to end tyranny and ensure a peaceful and secure transition to the hoped-for state: the state of freedom, democracy and equality," said author  Louay Hussein, who is one of the organizers of the protests.

With that, the officials said, “it would be a giant step forward if the government did not try to frighten participants.”