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Turkey Recognizes New Syrian Rebel Group as Legitimate Leader of Syria Turkey Recognizes New Syrian Rebel Group as Legitimate Leader of Syria
(35 minutes later)
ISTANBUL — Turkey recognized the newly formed Syrian rebel coalition as the legitimate leader of Syria on Thursday, a powerful boost to the group’s effort to attract legitimacy in its goal of ending the rule of President Bashar al-Assad.ISTANBUL — Turkey recognized the newly formed Syrian rebel coalition as the legitimate leader of Syria on Thursday, a powerful boost to the group’s effort to attract legitimacy in its goal of ending the rule of President Bashar al-Assad.
The announcement by Turkey, Syria’s northern neighbor and a haven for thousands of Syrian refugees and insurgents, was the second significant recognition of the new group this week. On Tuesday, France also fully embraced the group, known as the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, becoming the first Western country to do so. The announcement by Turkey, Syria’s northern neighbor and a haven for thousands of Syrian refugees and insurgents, was the third significant recognition of the new group this week. On Monday, members of the Gulf Cooperation Council — Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait — recognized the group, known as the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces. On Tuesday, France became the first Western country to do so.
The insurgent coalition was formed under Western pressure last this past weekend at a meeting in Qatar that brought together for the first time an array of groups both inside and outside Syria that have been struggling to unseat Mr. Assad, whose family has dominated Syria for four decades. His harsh crackdown on a peaceful Arab Spring democracy movement in March 2011 turned into a civil war that has left more than 40,000 people dead and shaken Syria’s Middle East neighbors. The insurgent coalition was formed under pressure from Western and Arab donors as well as Turkey last weekend at a meeting in Qatar that brought together for the first time an array of groups both inside and outside Syria that have been struggling to unseat Mr. Assad, whose family has dominated Syria for four decades. His harsh crackdown on a peaceful Arab Spring democracy movement in March 2011 turned into a civil war that has left more than 40,000 people dead and shaken Syria’s Middle East neighbors.
Turkey’s semiofficial Anatolian News Agency said Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey’s foreign minister, made the official recognition announcement at an Islamic Cooperation Organization meeting in Djibouti, the tiny country on the Horn of Africa.Turkey’s semiofficial Anatolian News Agency said Ahmet Davutoglu, Turkey’s foreign minister, made the official recognition announcement at an Islamic Cooperation Organization meeting in Djibouti, the tiny country on the Horn of Africa.
Mr. Davutoglu also reiterated Turkey’s contention that Mr. Assad, once a close friend of Turkey’s, had lost all credibility and legitimacy because of his government’s repression of the opposition.Mr. Davutoglu also reiterated Turkey’s contention that Mr. Assad, once a close friend of Turkey’s, had lost all credibility and legitimacy because of his government’s repression of the opposition.