WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- U.S. President Barack Obama on Tuesday recognized Syria's main opposition group as the sole "legitimate representative" of Syrian people.
In an interview with the ABC News, Obama called the recognition of the newly-formed Syrian Opposition Council as "a big step" in the so-called international efforts to unseat President Bashar al-Assad.
He said that the rebel group is now "inclusive enough" to be granted the elevated status, which paved the way for increasing the U.S. aid to the organization.
Obama added that, with the recognition of the council, Washington will take on new responsibilities to "make sure that they organize themselves effectively, that they are representative of all the parties, that they commit themselves to a political transition that respects women's rights and minority rights."
The U.S. move followed the similar steps taken by Britain, France and several Arab countries, which recognized the rebel council shortly after it was created at a meeting of opposition representatives held in Qatar last month.
The U.S. recognition of the Syrian Opposition Council also came before an upcoming international conference on Syria crisis scheduled to open on Wednesday in Marrakech, Morocco.
U.S. Deputy Secretary of State William Burns will attend the conference after Secretary of State Hillary Clinton canceled her planned trip due to illness caused by a stomach virus.
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Nation's Stance
U.S. - Obama recognizes Syria's main opposition group
WASHINGTON, Dec. 11 (Xinhua) -- The U.S. government on Tuesday blacklisted Nusra Front, an al-Qaida-affiliated group it accused of trying to "hijack" the struggles of the Syrian opposition, and hit two of its leaders with sanctions.
The State Department listed Nusra Front as an alias of ai-Qaida in Iraq (AQI), blaming it for nearly 600 terrorist attacks in Syria since November 2011, including more than 40 suicide attacks. Full story
LONDON, Nov. 20 (Xinhua) -- Britain has decided to recognize the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people, Foreign Secretary William Hague said on Tuesday.
In a statement to the House of Commons, Hague announced the news, adding that there will also be a significant increase in practical support for the Syrian opposition by Britain. Full story
TUNIS, Nov. 23 (Xinhua) -- Tunisia and Libya agreed Thursday to delay the recognition of a new Syrian opposition bloc, the official TAP press agency reported Friday.
Visiting president of the Libyan National Congress, Mohamed Magrif, announced Thursday during a press conference with Tunisian President Moncef Marzouki to hold off on recognizing the new Syrian opposition coalition called the Syrian National Coalition for Opposition and Revolutionary Forces, the report said. Full story
BRUSSELS, Nov. 19 (Xinhua) -- The European Union (EU) on Monday said it recognizes the Syrian opposition coalition as the "legitimate representatives of the aspirations of the Syrian people" at a foreign affairs council.
The EU welcomed the agreement reached on Nov. 11 in the meeting of the Syrian opposition groups gathered in Doha and in particular the formation of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces, it said in a statement. Full story
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