The state-controlled Turkmen media marked the first anniversary of an alleged assassination attempt against President Saparmurat Niyazov on 25 November 2002 by publishing a commentary distributed by the Turkmen State News Agency calling on the population to rally more closely behind the president. The same day, the Turkmen opposition website gundogar.org posted a report on a meeting of opposition figures in Vienna on 23-24 November to mark the anniversary and to discuss ways of promoting democratization in Turkmenistan and removing Niyazov. The meeting, which brought together leaders of various exile groups including the Republican Party of Turkmenistan, the People\'s Democratic Movement, the Watan Social-Political Movement, and the United Democratic Opposition, was also attended by representatives of international human rights groups and the media. A working group was set up to draft a post-Niyazov constitution. Some Turkmen opposition figures reportedly refused to attend the meeting for fear of being branded \"international terrorists\" by the regime in Ashgabat. (RFE/RL)