Turkish FM meets former Syrian Prime Minister

PanARMENIAN.Net - Turkey hosted former Syrian Prime Minister Riyad Hijab on the sidelines of a four-day meeting of the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) in Doha, Qatar, according to Hurriyet Daily News.

Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu met with Hijab during his second visit to Turkey since September, following his participation at the gathering of leading Syrian opposition figures in Amman last week.

Leading Syrian dissidents gathered in Amman and created a proposal establishing a “new political organ of the opposition, representing all of its components.” The new body would include the 14 SNC executive members, three members from the Kurdish National Council, religious leaders, and on-the-ground opposition including fighters and longstanding dissidents, according to a statement by Hijab’s spokesperson, Mohammed al-Otri.

“It remains to be decided whether this body will replace the SNC or will constitute a new coalition,” Otri said, adding that setting up the body “will certainly lead to the formation of a government” in exile.

When asked about Turkey’s approach to the proposal, as Davutoğlu said, “It’s up to Syrians to decide their destiny” and declined to comment further.

Since U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said last week that the opposition needed to be expanded from the SNC; Ankara has expressed the same opinion.

Davutoğlu also held talks with SNC chairman Abdel Basset Sayda on Nov 2.