Syrian opposition agree in principle on unity plan



DOHA- Syrian opposition groups meeting in Doha have agreed in principle on a plan to unite against President Bashar al-Assad, participants announced early Sunday following marathon talks.
"We have agreed on the main points of the formation of a Syrian national coalition for the forces of the opposition and the revolution. We will continue our discussions on the details on Sunday," opposition figure Suhair Atassi told AFP after 12 hours of talks.



Syrian opposition agree in principle on unity plan
"We were on the point of signing (the accord) but we preferred to give some time to study the internal rules at the request of certain parties," said fellow delegate Riad Seif, reportedly seen by Washington as a potential new opposition chief.
The particants were set to resume their talks at 0700 GMT.
The deal is based on an initiative by Seif which envisages the formation of a transitional executive to deal with the international community and the channeling of aid.
Under Sief's plan the 10-member transitional government would be elected by a new 60-member umbrella group drawn from civilian activists and rebel fighters inside Syria, as well as by the exiles who have dominated the Syrian National Council (SNC).
The SNC was once regarded as the leading opposition representative but is 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.
According to watchdog the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, more than 37,000 people have died since the uprising against President Assad erupted in March 2011, first as a protest movement and then as an armed rebellion.
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Sunday, November 11th 2012
AFP
           


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