Syrian opposition announces shared vision

Syrian opposition figures have agreed on a vision for a political solution to their war-torn country.

Khaled Khoja, head of the National Coalition for Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces, and Louay Hussein, head of the Building the Syrian State Movement, made the announcement in a statement at a press conference in Istanbul on Monday.

The two leaders made it clear a solution could not be reached until President Assad and his ruling elite had left Syria. 

They also announced safe zones would be set up to protect areas outside regime control, and a national army would be established as a matter of urgency from rebels, defected army officers and free Syrians.

"The new army will be to protect the sovereignty and independence of Syria, and provide security and stability to its citizens," they statement explained.

The joint statement also said the Syrian revolution: "renounces violence and supports security, stability, the rule of law and a constitutional ruling system that respects the will of the people and their rights, and seeks to establish a modern state that is not discriminatory."

The two leaders expressed support for the Document of Basic Principles for a Political Settlement in Syria, adopted and ratified by the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces on 14 January 2015. They agreed it was a comprehensive national document for the Syrian opposition.

"We are fully committed to abiding by its provisions and ensuring their implementation, and we call on all Syrians to share this commitment," they said.

This article is an edited translation from our Arabic edition.