Syrian Opposition Seeks 'More Concrete' Foreign Backing
The leader of the main opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) on Friday sought "more concrete" international backing against the regime of President Bashar al-Assad.
"Only collective action by the international community is capable of dissuading the Syrian mafia, now in power, to quit the country or give in to the fight of the Syrian people," Burhan Ghalioun said in Sofia.
"What is important today is for this international backing to become more and more concrete," he said after talks with Bulgarian Foreign Minister Nikolay Mladenov.
The EU slapped a new round of sanctions on Assad's regime on Thursday in an effort to stifle its bloody repression of protests, while U.S. Vice President Joe Biden urged the strongman to quit.
The U.N. Human Rights Council also voted Friday to condemn "gross violations" of human rights in Syria following evidence that security forces murdered and tortured dissidents.
Ghalioun said he met recently with the rebel Free Syrian Army commander, Riyadh al-Asaad, where he confirmed the SNC stance against civil war.
"We do not want offensive actions against the Syrian army," Ghalioun said Friday, recounting the meeting.
"We want deserting soldiers to limit their actions to defending themselves and protecting peaceful protesters and to adapt their strategy to the peaceful strategy of the democratic Syrian revolution."
All army elements should be organized by "a single force that can control them after the liberation," he added.
Source: Agence France Presse
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