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.