ZAGREB — U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton said Wednesday that the Syrian National Council can no longer be seen as leading the opposition to embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Washington is hoping new rebel leaders emerge next week from a meeting of Assad opponents in Doha.
Secretary Clinton said Syria needs a united opposition dedicated to representing and protecting all of the country's ethnic groups, and resisting efforts by extremists to hijack what she says has been "a legitimate revolution against an oppressive regime."
Clinton said the Obama administration no longer believes the Syrian National Council, or SNC, fills that role.
"We've made it clear that the SNC can no longer be viewed as the visible leader of the opposition," she said. "They can be part of a larger opposition. But that opposition must include people from inside Syria and others who have a legitimate voice that needs to be heard."
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Secretary Clinton said Syria needs a united opposition dedicated to representing and protecting all of the country's ethnic groups, and resisting efforts by extremists to hijack what she says has been "a legitimate revolution against an oppressive regime."
Clinton said the Obama administration no longer believes the Syrian National Council, or SNC, fills that role.
"We've made it clear that the SNC can no longer be viewed as the visible leader of the opposition," she said. "They can be part of a larger opposition. But that opposition must include people from inside Syria and others who have a legitimate voice that needs to be heard."