France formally recognizes Syria's opposition

PanARMENIAN.Net - France on Tuesday, Nov 13, became the first Western country to formally recognize Syria's newly formed opposition coalition as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people, The Associated Press reported.

The U.S. also recognized the leadership body announced in Qataron Sunday as a legitimate representative, but stopped short of describing it as a sole representative, saying the group must first demonstrate its ability to represent Syrians inside the country.

"We look forward to supporting the national coalition as it charts a course for the end of Assad's bloody rule, and marks the start, we believe, of a peaceful just and democratic future for the people of Syria," said U.S. State Department spokesman Mark Toner in Washington.

Under intense international pressure to form an opposition that includes representatives from the country's disparate factions fighting to topple President Bashar Assad, the anti-government groups struck a deal Sunday in Doha, Qatar, to form a coalition headed by former Muslim preacher Mouaz al-Khatib.

The coalition includes representatives from the main opposition group, the Syrian National Council, which was harshly criticized by many, including U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, for being cut off from rebels fighting the war on the ground and for failing to forge a cohesive and more representative leadership.

The new group is lobbying the international community for more powerful weapons to break the stalemate with the regime.

The French move was announced by French President Francois Hollande, who used his first news conference since taking office six months ago to formally recognize the group.

"I announce here that France recognizes the National Syrian Coalition as the sole representative of the Syrian people and, therefore, as the future provisional government of democratic Syria," Hollande said.