March 14 Planning to Recognize Syrian Opposition to Build Ties with 'Future Regime'
The Lebanese opposition is planning to recognize Syria's National Coalition by the end of the year to set the stage for ties with “the future regime of Syria,” March 14 general-secretariat coordinator Fares Soaid and An Nahar daily said on Tuesday.
Soaid told An Nahar that it was necessary to reach understandings on the common border, mutual interests and previous agreements with the next regime in Syria.
Al-Mustaqbal MP Nohad al-Mashnouq also said that a March 14 delegation could visit the National Coalition's leadership in the next few days in Istanbul or Cairo.
“This step would be seen as a dissociation of the Lebanese people and the state from the government's continuous recognition of the Syrian regime,” he told An Nahar.
“We are carrying out our duty in protecting Lebanon and its international legitimacy,” he said.
Al-Mashnouq said a delegation from the National Coalition leadership has already visited ex-Premier Saad Hariri, who is the head of the opposition al-Mustaqbal movement, in Riyadh.
Another al-Mustaqbal lawmaker, Jamal al-Jarrah, told Voice of Lebanon radio (100.5) that March 14, which has already announced its support for the Syrian revolution, “can hold meetings with it (the National Coalition) because the Syrian regime has collapsed and no longer represents the Syrian people.”
A member of the same bloc, MP Ammar Houri, told VDL (93.3) that the majority of the Lebanese recognize Syria's opposition and support the Syrian people in defending their rights and dignity.
An Nahar said that consultations are underway between opposition officials to hold a March 14 leadership meeting to discuss the recognition of the National Coalition by the end of the year.
The grouping has already been recognized by Arab and Western states as the sole representative of the Syrian people.
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