Syrian Opposition Leaders Possibly Work Together To Engage Regime

[سوريا اليوم]

GMF20130320216001 Syria — OSC Analysis in English 20 Mar 13

Syrian Opposition Coalition (SOC) leader Mu’adh al-Khatib may choose to work with Haytham Manna, the coordinator abroad for the rival opposition National Coordination Body for Democratic Change (NCB), to offer dialogue with Damascus to end the Syrian uprising. &#00Media reporting suggest Al-Khatib has grown disillusioned with his SOC colleagues, as the coalition has considered and then named an interim government in response to regional and international pressure.&#00 In contrast to SOC members, Manna praised Al-Khatib’s 30 January statement of willingness to talk with Damascus and has hinted at interest in working with Al-Khatib to end the uprising. &#00With Islamist extremists reportedly taking control of large areas in eastern Syria, Al-Khatib may choose to work directly with Manna — even over objections from the SOC — to try to open dialogue with the regime.

Media reporting sympathetic to Syria’s opposition has suggested Mu’adh al-Khatib has opposed the rapid creation of an interim government and clashed with other SOC members who favored it.​

• According to Al-Jazirah.net, at the 18 March meeting during which the externally based SOC named an interim government led by Ghassan Hitu, Al-Khatib said that forming a provisional government “in the absence of popular support does not work.” &#00He called for putting the new interim government to an online public vote before approving it officially (19 March).(See attached file #_edn1) [ 1]&#00
• Earlier, reports in London-based, pan-Arab dailies about the SOC’s postponement of its Istanbul meeting to 18 March suggested Al-Khatib has clashed with other SOC leaders — including Secretary General Mustafa al-Sabbagh and his deputy — and even hinted he would resign should the SOC quickly name a provisional government (Al-Hayah, 13 March; Al-Sharq al-Awsat, 11 March).(See attached file #_edn2) [ 2] (See attached file #_edn3) [ 3]
• In a letter to Al-Sabbagh, Al-Khatib called for “making preparations for a new leadership for the coalition” while evincing frustration with colleagues who “send their boisterous messages in my face,” according to pro-SOC Zaman al-Wasl (11 March).(See attached file #_edn4) [ 4]

The apparent discord between Al-Khatib and other SOC leaders has taken place as pressure from the international community and some constituent components of the SOC mounted to name an interim government and some groups, including Islamists, have been moving to take over administrative functions in some areas inside Syria.​

• The Arab League’s decision to invite the SOC to create an “executive committee” that could then assume Syria’s Arab League seat(See attached file #_edn5) [ 5] has reportedly played a role in Al-Khatib’s argument with Al-Sabbagh — whom London-based, Saudi-financed daily Al-Hayah credited with advocating that the SOC name a provisional government in order to assume the seat (KUNA, 11 March; Al-Hayah, 13 March).(See attached file #_edn6) [ 6]
• A new “Free National Gathering” led by former Syrian Prime Minister Riyad Hijab convened in Doha on 8 March to prepare defectors who had been officials in Syria to return to liberated territories and assume governing responsibilities, they also convened partly in response to the Arab League decision (Al-Hayah, 8 March; Al-Jazirah TV, 8 March).(See attached file #_edn7) [ 7] (See attached file #_edn8) [ 8]
• Fragmentary reporting indicates that Islamist groups — perhaps affiliated with the Al-Nusrah Front — have established administrative bodies in areas they control, particularly around Dayr al-Zawr in eastern Syria (Al-Mayadin TV, 10 March).(See attached file #_edn9) [ 9] &#00Though such reporting has come mainly from sources of questionable reliability — with the exception of the new pan-Arab, anti-Western Al-Mayadin TV — it has prompted one highly respected commentator to conclude that Al-Nusrah would be well positioned to fill a “vacuum” left by the fall of Syria’s regime (Al-Quds al-Arabi, 11 March).(See attached file #_edn10) [ 10]

Manna Potential Ally for Al-Khatib

The NCB’s Manna has criticized moves to create an interim government as being too hasty and praised Al-Khatib for his willingness to engage Damascus.​

• Manna told Al-Mayadin TV after the SOC’s formation of an interim government that having two governments in Syria “will only increase the political divide” among Syrians (19 March).(See attached file #_edn11) [ 11] &#00Earlier, he had said after his 11 March meeting with Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov that he would produce “viable proposals” for a concrete dialogue between Damascus and all opposition groups.(See attached file #_edn12) [ 12]
• Manna had praised Al-Khatib for his 30 January initiative(See attached file #_edn13) [ 13] — proposing conditional dialogue with the regime — in marked contrast to intense criticism Al-Khatib received from SOC colleagues, including the entire Syrian National Council (Facebook, 30 January; Al-Jazirah TV, 31 January).(See attached file #_edn14) [ 14]
• Manna explained to the Egyptian magazine Al-Ahram Weekly that he opposes the SOC’s unilateral creation of an interim government, because he believes that “the solution is to create a transitional ruling body composed of those loyal to the state and the most efficient elements of the opposition” (13 March).(See attached file #_edn15) [ 15]

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(See attached file #_ednref1) [ 1] [Internet Site |&#00 | Aljazeera.net | Hitu Elected Head of First Interim Government in Syria | 19 March 2013 |&#00 | http://www.aljazeera.net/news/pages/4fdb3c09-78ce-4600-ba14-3fa014c8e002?GoogleS tatID=1 | 19 March 2013 | Doha Al-Jazirah.net in Arabic -- Website of Al-Jazirah Satellite Channel Television, influential Qatari Government-funded pan-Arab news channel; generally critical of US Middle East policy; provides platform to opponents of some Arab governments; promotes human rights and political and social reforms; URL: http://www.aljazeera.net]

(See attached file #_ednref2) [ 2] [OSC |&#00 | OSC ID: GMP20130313825001 | 13 March 2013 |&#00 | Syrian opposition Sources Expect Resignation of National Coalition's Al-Khatib |&#00 |&#00 | (U) | London Al-Hayah Online in Arabic - Website of influential Saudi-owned London pan-Arab daily. URL:&#00 http://www.daralhayat.com.]

(See attached file #_ednref3) [ 3] [OSC |&#00 | OSC ID: GMP20130311825004 | 11 March 2013 |&#00 | Disagreements Between Syrian Opposition Chief, Members Delay Scheduled Meeting |&#00 |&#00 | (U) | London Al-Sharq al-Awsat Online in Arabic - Website of influential London-based pan-Arab Saudi daily; editorial line reflects Saudi official stance.&#00 URL:&#00 http://www.asharqalawsat.com]

(See attached file #_ednref4) [ 4] [OSC |&#00 | OSC ID: GMP20130311700005 | 11 March 2013 |&#00 | Syrian Website:&#00 Al-Khatib Reportedly Hints at Resigning From National Coalition |&#00 |&#00 | (U) | Doha Zaman al-Wasl in Arabic - Privately owned Syrian opposition online newspaper carrying unique reporting by a local network of journalists on Syrian domestic issues, originally established in the Syrian city of Homs in 2005; URL:&#00 www.zamanalwsl.net]

(See attached file #_ednref5) [ 5] [OSC |&#00 | OSC ID: GMP20130311966231 | 11 March 2013 |&#00 | KUNA:&#00 Arab League Chief Discusses Syrian Situation With Maaz Al-Khatib |&#00 |&#00 | (U) | Kuwait KUNA Online in Englsih -- Official news agency of the Kuwaiti Government;&#00 URL:&#00 http://www.kuna.net.kw]

(See attached file #_ednref6) [ 6] [OSC |&#00 | OSC ID: GMP20130313825001 | 13 March 2013 |&#00 | Syrian opposition Sources Expect Resignation of National Coalition's Al-Khatib |&#00 |&#00 | (U) | London Al-Hayah Online in Arabic - Website of influential Saudi-owned London pan-Arab daily. URL:&#00 http://www.daralhayat.com.]

(See attached file #_ednref7) [ 7] [OSC |&#00 | OSC ID: GMP20130308825003 | 8 March 2013 |&#00 | Syrian Opposition Group Leader Notes Group's Aims, Sees Development in US Stand |&#00 |&#00 | (U) | London Al-Hayah Online in Arabic - Website of influential Saudi-owned London pan-Arab daily. URL:&#00 http://www.daralhayat.com.]

(See attached file #_ednref8) [ 8] [OSC |&#00 | OSC ID: GMP20130308676002 | 8 March 2013 |&#00 | Al-Jazirah Interviews Former Syrian Prime Minister on New 'National Gathering' |&#00 |&#00 | (U) | Doha Al-Jazirah Satellite Channel Television in Arabic - Influential Qatari Government-funded pan-Arab news channel; generally critical of US Middle East policy; provides platform to opponents of some Arab governments; promotes human rights and political and social reforms.]

(See attached file #_ednref9) [ 9] [OSC |&#00 | OSC ID: GMP20130313693003 | 10 March 2013 |&#00 | Al-Mayadin TV Reports on Emergence of Islamist Authorities in Syria |&#00 | (U) | (U) | Beirut Al-Mayadin Satellite Channel in Arabic -- Independent Pan-Arab news channel founded by former Al-Jazirah TV journalist Ghassan Bin-Jiddu]

(See attached file #_ednref10) [ 10] [OSC |&#00 | OSC ID: GMP20130311825009 | 11 March 2013 |&#00 | Atwan Says Al-Nusrah Front Will Fill 'Vacuum' After Fall of Syrian Regime |&#00 |&#00 | (U) | London Al-Quds al-Arabi Online in Arabic - Website of London-based independent Arab nationalist daily with strong anti-US bias.&#00 URL:&#00 http://www.alquds.co.uk.]

(See attached file #_ednref11) [ 11] [TV |&#00 | Al-Mayadin Satellite Channel |&#00 | 19 March 2013 |&#00 |&#00 | 19 March 2013 | Beirut Al-Mayadin Satellite Channel in Arabic -- Independent Pan-Arab news channel founded by former Al-Jazirah TV journalist Ghassan Bin-Jiddu]

(See attached file #_ednref12) [ 12] [TV |&#00 | Al-Mayadin Satellite Channel |&#00 | 12 March 2013 |&#00 |&#00 | 12 March 2013 | Beirut Al-Mayadin Satellite Channel in Arabic -- Independent Pan-Arab news channel founded by former Al-Jazirah TV journalist Ghassan Bin-Jiddu]

(See attached file #_ednref13) [ 13] [OSC |&#00 | OSC ID: GMP20130131663007 | 31 January 2013 |&#00 | Syrian National Coalition Leader Expresses Willingness to Hold Talks with Regime |&#00 |&#00 | (U) | Facebook in English -- Social networking website allowing creation of profiles, uploading of photos and videos, and sending messages; URL:&#00 http://www.facebook.com]

(See attached file #_ednref14) [ 14] [OSC |&#00 | Al-Arabiyah Satellite Channel Television&#00 0500 GMT Newscast |&#00 | 31 January 2013 |&#00 |&#00 | 31 January 2013 | Dubai Al-Arabiyah Satellite Channel Television in Arabic--Influential pan-Arab news channel espousing pro-Saudi Government views, social reform, and liberal values; member of MBC Group, owned by Saudi media tycoon Walid Al Ibrahim]

(See attached file #_ednref15) [ 15] [Internet Site |&#00 | Al-Ahram Weekly | Slow politics, fast military | 13 March 2013 |&#00 | http://weekly.ahram.org.eg/Print/1867.aspx | 15 March 2013 | Cairo Al-Ahram Weekly in Arabic -- Weekly version of state-controlled daily newspaper of record, formerly pro-Mubarak but has now shifted support to the 2011 revolution; reportedly Egypt's highest circulation daily, Al-Ahram controls the distribution of all other newspapers, state-run and independent alike]​