FM Davutoğlu calls for nonviolent resistence

ANKARA

Turkish FM Ahmet Davutoğlu meets with SNC members in Ankara yesterday. AA photo

A declaration on the “political perspective” of the Syrian National Council (SNC) has been outlined at a meeting in Tunisia and is to be announced in a couple of days. The declaration includes support of the Free Syrian Army, whose commander is based in Turkey, and the rejection of a possible agreement with the Syrian regime, an SNC member told Hürriyet Daily News. In a meeting with 10 representatives of the SNC on Jan. 8 headed by Dr. Burhan Ghalioun, Foreign Minister Ahmet Davutoğlu urged the Syrian opposition to seek democratic change and freedom through non-violent resistance methods, diplomatic sources said. “We emphasized the significance of maintaining unity among the Syrian opposition.”

Syrian opposition has asked Turkey for more diplomatic pressure in an international arena for a U.N. Security Council decision, which would lay grounds for establishing a safe heaven or buffer zone on the Turkish-Syrian border, the SNC member said. A delegation of Syrian opposition briefed Davutoğlu regarding their visits to Portugal and Belgium where they sought European funds to support the Syrian opposition, said a SNC member. Three members of Syrian opposition are likely to run in SNC elections: George Sabra, a Christian candidate from Damascus Declaration, Samir Nashar from SNC and Burhan Ghalioun.