But the call issued by participants consisting mostly of Syrian exiles is unlikely to resonate soon beyond the conference. It also highlighted internal divisions that have long been exploited by the government: Several prominent figures stayed away following disputes about the agenda and timing.
"This is about trying to fix up the opposition for the outside world," said Joshua Landis, director of the Center for Middle East Studies at the University of Oklahoma.
Within Syria, the government's crackdown has been deadly and unrelenting, even if it has not stopped the daily protests that swell into the thousands on Fridays. Activists say more than 1,100 Syrians have died and more than 10,000 have been detained.
Assad's government got a strong signal of support on Thursday from Russia, a close ally. In Washington, Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton appeared to have Russia, China and some hesitant Arab countries in mind as she said nations slow to denounce the Syrian crackdown should get on what she called "the right side of history." She lamented that international disunity was limiting U.S. options for a response.
Details coming out of Syria are sketchy because the government has severely restricted the media and expelled foreign reporters, making it nearly impossible to independently verify accounts coming out of the country.
But the resident said troops pounded the area that has been largely cut off from outside contact for six days with artillery and gunfire, bombing the town's water supply as well as a mosque and a sports complex.
Activists said 15 people were killed, including two brothers and a 4-year-old girl. The nearby towns of Talbiseh and Teir Maaleh, which like Rastan have seen persistent protests, have also come under attack.
Thursday's deaths bring the total killed in Rastan and nearby Talbiseh to 72 since the onslaught began.
Many of the Syrian army's officers and cadres, including former defense minister Mustafa Tlass, are from Rastan, an agricultural and industrial town with a population of about 100,000.
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