, and it is all terribly confused because of murky or obscure differences and terminological subtleties, as in the withdrawal, three months ago, of the Syrian National Council from the Syrian National Coalition. Many of the more moderate forces (great caution should be used in applying that word anywhere in the Middle Ea

I conference offers an opportunity to address these dangers. But risks abound. We still do not know who will represent the Syrian opposition, or if the Syrian National Council — which demands that Assad step down unconditionally — will even be there. The regime, for its part, wants the conference to focus on combating the

ition. Once the opposition knows real outside help is on the way, it should be possible over time to build a coherent political leadership based on the Syrian National Council as well as a manageable command and control structure for the Free Syrian Army, both of which are now weak and divided. This will be difficult and

most inevitably be pulled in to invest in the future stability and territorial integrity of Syria. EFTA00713329 With its long-standing support to the Syrian National Council and the Free Syrian Army, Ankara hopes to have gained the leverage to influence the behavior of the future leadership in the post-Assad era. But no

nd Yemen. In Istanbul this month, I encountered the variety, and the normalcy, of this rebellion in extended discussions with prominent figures of the Syrian National Council. There was the senior diplomat who had grown weary of being a functionary of so sullied a regime. There was a businessman of means, from Aleppo, w

9:35 PM To: Francois Carrel-Billiard Cc: Peter Gastrow; Francesco Mancini Subject: Syria Dear Francois, I met today with Ms. Basama Kadmani, of the Syrian National Council, who is=visiting New York to lobby members of the Security Council. I learned from=her the followings: 1.The United States forbid Gulf States from