SPY EYES

France has become the first Western power to recognise the newly united Syrian opposition as the only representative of the Syrian people.

“France recognises the Syrian National Coalition as the only representative of the Syrian people and therefore as the future provisional government of a democratic Syria,” President Francois Hollande told a press conference in Paris on Tuesday.

The question of arming the rebels would be looked at as soon as the rebel coalition formed a transitional government, Hollande said.

“On the question of weapons deliveries, France did not support it as long as it wasn’t clear where these weapons went,” Hollande said.

“With the coalition, as soon as it is a legitimate government of Syria, this question will be looked at by France, but also by all countries that recognise this government.”

The announcement comes after opposition groups agreed on Sunday in Doha to unite against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.

The French move comes 24 hours after the coalition was recognised by the six member states of the Gulf Cooperation Council – Saudi Arabia, Qatar, Bahrain, United Arab Emirates, Kuwait and Oman.

Pledging support

Arab League and European Union foreign ministers pledged after their meeting in Cairo on Tuesday to support the Syrian opposition and welcomed steps to unite the various groups under a new, united banner, in order to facilitate a solution to the 20-month conflict.

“The ministers welcomed the formation of the Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces. They called on all opposition groups to adhere to the national coalition and on the national coalition to engage with all sections of Syrian society,” said a statement issued at the close of the meeting held in Cairo on Tuesday.

Syria’s divided opposition had come under pressure from Western powers to join forces and offer a single interlocutor during negotiations, in order to provide a single contact for international critics of the regime’s efforts to stamp down the opposition since 2011.

The coalition brings together the Syrian National Council and other groups inside Syria.

The Arab League has recognised the coalition as “the legitimate representative of the Syrian people’s aspirations.”

Secretary General Nabil al-Arabi described it as “a glimmer of hope.”

Frustration at UN deadlock

British Foreign Secretary William Hague called on the group “to demonstrate they are acting on behalf of all Syria’s communities. The more progress the coalition makes towards those goals, the greater practical support it will have from the United Kingdom.”

Hague expressed frustration at the deadlock on Syria in the UN Security Council, saying that “our efforts … to encourage the UNSC to take on its responsibilities have been vetoed by Russia and China. In the absence of such progress, we will increase our support to Syrian opposition groups.”

Moscow and Beijing, both allies of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, have vetoed three Western-and Arab-backed resolutions at the Security Council condemning the Syrian regime for violence.

German Foreign Minister Guido Westerwelle said his country “is ready to join hands with the Arab League to help (the new alliance) to become a credible and inclusive alternative to al-Assad’s regime.”

Westerwelle and French Foreign Minister Laurent Fabius both met the head of the coalition, Mouaz al-Khatib.