Opposition calls for "peaceful overthrow" of Assad Syria's official news agency says one person was killed when a bomb exploded on a footbridge in central Damascus. The blast happened less than a kilometre from a hotel where anti-government groups had gathered for a rare meeting. Foreign diplomats were present to hear strongly-voiced calls for a peaceful solution to the crisis. A spokesman for the National Development Party urged the UN-Arab envoy Lakdhar Brahimi to push for an international conference on Syria, to pave the way for a peaceful transition to democracy. The groups form a bloc effectively sanctioned by the Assad regime. Brahimi is due before the UN Security Council on Monday to give his first assessment on Syria since taking on the role.