Naharnet

Turkey Recognizes New Syria Opposition

Turkish Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoglu said on Thursday that Turkey "recognizes the Syrian National Coalition as the sole legitimate representative of the people of Syria."

Davutoglu made the comments during a ministerial meeting of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation which is being held in Djibouti, according to Anatolia news agency.

Davutoglu also called on the international community to follow suit and give more support to the Syrian opposition, which emerged newly unified on Sunday after marathon talks in Doha.

On Tuesday, France became the first Western power to recognize the newly-formed opposition as the sole representative and said the question of arming them must now be reviewed.

The new coalition has also won support from Britain and the United States, which stopped short of declaring it a government-in-exile.

The leader of the new body, Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib, swiftly urged the world to arm the rebels with "specialized weapons" to "cut short the suffering of the Syrians" in the 20-month war which has killed some 37,000 people.

Source: Agence France Presse


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