Saturday, 08 October 2011
The recently-formed Syrian National Council has been
touring world capitals in a bid to muster support from the Arab world
and Western powers. (Photo by Reuters)
Around 90 members of Syria’s opposition, led by the Syrian
National Council, met Saturday in Stockholm to strategize their struggle
against President Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
“Around 90 people are taking part... members of the Syrian National Council (SNC), including its leader Burhan Ghalioun, are here as are representatives of other Syrian opposition groups,” said Laila Naraghi of the Olof Palme International Center hosting the conference.
Representatives of Syria’s six-month-old protests and opposition met against the backdrop of an uprising which the U.N. says has cost at least 2,900 lives since it erupted in mid-March.
“Around 90 people are taking part... members of the Syrian National Council (SNC), including its leader Burhan Ghalioun, are here as are representatives of other Syrian opposition groups,” said Laila Naraghi of the Olof Palme International Center hosting the conference.
Representatives of Syria’s six-month-old protests and opposition met against the backdrop of an uprising which the U.N. says has cost at least 2,900 lives since it erupted in mid-March.
The recently-formed SNC includes
most of Assad’s opponents, including the committees masterminding
protests on the ground, the Muslim Brotherhood as well as various
Kurdish and Assyrian parties.
The council has been touring world capitals in a bid to muster support from the Arab world and Western powers.
“Members of the opposition approached us for help to set up a meeting with the opposition’s different factions,” Olof Palme secretary general Jens Orback said in a statement.
“They were looking for methods on how to agree on certain issues in order to make progress in their struggle,” he explained.
The conference’s participants are expected to announce the results of their meetings at a press conference on Monday.
Meanwhile, eleven people were arrested in Vienna on Saturday after they broke into a building housing the Syrian embassy and consulate, a police spokeswoman said.
Around 20 people had been taking part in an anti-Syrian government demonstration in the early hours.
“Some people broke through the door into the embassy building,” the spokeswoman said. No one was injured.
Large political protests are generally rare in Vienna, but there have been several small anti-Syrian government protests in the past months.
Police said no one was hurt but some damage was caused on the premises.
The council has been touring world capitals in a bid to muster support from the Arab world and Western powers.
“Members of the opposition approached us for help to set up a meeting with the opposition’s different factions,” Olof Palme secretary general Jens Orback said in a statement.
“They were looking for methods on how to agree on certain issues in order to make progress in their struggle,” he explained.
The conference’s participants are expected to announce the results of their meetings at a press conference on Monday.
Meanwhile, eleven people were arrested in Vienna on Saturday after they broke into a building housing the Syrian embassy and consulate, a police spokeswoman said.
Around 20 people had been taking part in an anti-Syrian government demonstration in the early hours.
“Some people broke through the door into the embassy building,” the spokeswoman said. No one was injured.
Large political protests are generally rare in Vienna, but there have been several small anti-Syrian government protests in the past months.
Police said no one was hurt but some damage was caused on the premises.
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