U.S. to recognize Syrian opposition

By Marcos Gonzalez

The Obama administration is preparing to recognize Syria’s new opposition as the only legitimate representative of the Syrian people, creating more support from the US for groups opposed to President Bashar Assad’s regime.

Announcement of the move will take place at a conference with 70 nations present in Marrakesh, Morocco, on Dec. 12.

The change is expected to lead to pledges of additional humanitarian and nonlethal logistical support for the opposition, but unlikely to create any military support from the US, at least in any time soon.

Speaking at a conference focused on Syria in Washington, the U.S. ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, suggested that the administration was getting closer to upgrading its recognition of Syria’s opposition council.

‘‘They are a legitimate representative of the Syrian people’s aspirations, and we will work with them. We will cooperate with them. They have a vision of Syria. It’s a vision that we strongly support,” Ford Said.

The U.S. had been leading international efforts to help lead the fractured Syrian opposition into forming a leadership that would represent the country as a whole. Yet it refused to recognize the group until they were sure they could unify themselves without a third party’s support.

Ford said any discussion of arms needed to take into account the growing presence of extremists in Syria, citing the recent fighting between Kurds and extremists. He said extremist activity was diminishing hopes of a peaceful end to the crisis.

“There is no sign off any kind of political deal to be worked out between the opposition groups and the regime,” Ford said. “That means the fighting is going to go on.”

Assad’s government has killed more than 30,000 Syrians since the March 2011 uprising against his regime.

Image Courtesy: AP Images