RIYADH – The Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) said Monday its six member states have decided to recognize the newly formed National Coalition of the Syrian opposition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. “The states of the Council announce recognizing the National Coalition for the Forces of the Syrian Revolution and Opposition... as the legitimate representative of the brotherly Syrian people,” GCC Secretary General Abdul Latif Al-Zayani said in a statement. The GCC comprises Saudi Arabia, Bahrain, the United Arab Emirates, Oman, Qatar and Kuwait. The statement said the GCC was “looking forward to Arab states and the international community recognizing the coalition.” Zayani said the GCC nations would support the new body which was formed Sunday after marathon talks in Doha to unite the opposition against the regime of President Bashar Al-Assad. “Council states will provide support to this new entity, in order to achieve the aspirations of the Syrian people, in hope that this (coalition) will be a step toward a quick political transfer of power,” Zayani said. The GCC secretary general also said he hoped that the formation of the new coalition “would lead to ending the bloodshed, protect the territorial unity of Syria, and to hold a general national congress to pave the way to build a state ruled by law and open to all its citizens without exceptions or discrimination.” The deal to form a broad-based opposition to take the uprising forward drew a warm welcome from Western governments that had expressed frustration with the leadership divisions that have plagued the revolt against Assad's regime. Meanwhile, the leader of Syria's newly united opposition headed to Arab League headquarters in Cairo to push for diplomatic recognition Monday, buoyed by the hard-won unity deal among the disparate factions. The Arab League suspended Assad's government as part of a raft of sanctions it imposed last year and Syria's seat in the 22-member body is currently vacant. Arab foreign ministers gathered Monday in Cairo for talks focused mainly on Syria, a day after its fractured opposition agreed. Arab League foreign ministers and senior diplomats will be joined by Lakhdar Brahimi, the international envoy for Syria. – Agencies
