Syria (and Beyond) Live Coverage: New Opposition Coalition Formed "In Principle"
Sunday, November 11, 2012 at 12:45 | Scott Lucas in EA Live, EA Middle East and Turkey, Middle East and Iran 2015 GMT: Syria. The new opposition umbrella Syrian National Coaliation has chosen Damascus cleric Moaz al-Khatib as its head.
Al-Khatib, the former Sunni Muslim imam of the Umayyad Mosque, left the country for Cairo in July after several periods of detention.
Leading dissident Riad Seif said a "12-point agreement" had been sealed. Proposals include an assembly of 55-60 members, with representation for ethnic Kurds, Christians, Alawites, and women, and from the SNC. The new body will also have a military council that will include the Free Syrian Army.
The Syrian National Council, the previous umbrella leadership, was reportedly given a deadline of 10:00 (0700 GMT) to join the Coalition or risk being left out.
Bassem Said Ishak of the SNC said the Kurds required 48 hours to get the approval of their leadership.