MIDDLE EAST: Exiled Syrian opposition leaders have announced the creation of a united front to form a transitional government to bring about "regime change" from President Bashar al-Assad to democracy.
"Syria is in need of salvation from the autocratic regime which has weakened the country" and put it in dangers never seen before, opposition leaders said yesterday in a joint declaration after a two-day meeting in Brussels.
Opposition groups, including the Muslim Brotherhood, liberals, communists and Kurds, launched a National Salvation Front and a programme for change in a six-month transition to democracy post the Assad era.
Fourteen exiled politicians - all men - attended the news conference. Former vice-president Abdel-Halim Khaddam, a defector from the ruling Baath Party who broke with Mr Assad last year after serving the regime for decades, and Muslim Brotherhood leader Ali Bayanouni held centre-stage.
"All political, social and economic partners in Syria will form an interim government that will be ready to take over the administration of the country at the appropriate moment," the statement said.
An interim government would cancel the constitution, organise elections, lift the state of emergency, cancel a law condemning members of the Muslim Brotherhood to death and free all political prisoners.
Mr Assad is under severe international pressure over the assassination of former Lebanese prime minister Rafik al-Hariri last year, which prompted mass protests and a United Nations resolution, forcing the withdrawal of Syrian troops from Lebanon.
It is not clear how much popular support the combined opposition can command in Syria, a tightly controlled country where penalties for dissent can be high.
"Bringing down the walls of fear is one of our greatest challenges," Najib Ghadbian, from the Syrian National Council, an umbrella organisation for opposition groups, said.
Mr Khaddam acknowledged the opposition front was not yet complete and said the organisers would now work on taking all political, religious and ethnic groups on board before their next meeting within 45 days.
"There still had to be full negotiation with all factions inside and outside Syria," he said. That was the reason why they had not yet decided on leaders or a permanent structure. - (Reuters)