The Syrian National Council came under increasing pressure on Saturday to accept an opposition unity plan after saying it will put forward its own proposals amid growing frustration among other dissident groups. Once regarded as the leading opposition representative but increasingly derided in Washington as dominated by out-of-touch exiles, the SNC had already twice asked for a postponement of the talks on plans for a broad-based government-in-waiting.
"We have started an open dialogue with our brothers and looked at their initiative," newly elected SNC leader George Sabra told a news conference ahead of the resumption of talks in the Qatari capital with other opposition factions. "But we have our own point of view and our own ideas that we plan to put forward."
On arrival at the hotel hosting the gathering, SNC members went into talks on the sidelines with officials from Qatar, the United States, Turkey and the United Arab Emirates, coalition members said. UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdallah bin Zayed al-Nahayan "gave an assurance that the Gulf states stand by the side of the Syrians, and said that international support will be stronger if the opposition unites," senior SNC official Ahmad Ramadan told AFP. "We are being submitted to pressure to accept being part of a new formation, in exchange for international promises but with no guarantees," he added.
Comments
Comments are closed.