The opposition to Bashar Al Assad's regime in Syria received a welcome boost at the Friends of Syria conference in Istanbul this week when 83 attending nations recognised the Syrian National Council as "a legitimate representative of all Syrians and the umbrella organisation under which Syrian opposition groups are gathering".
The Friends of Syria were right to speak bluntly of their growing distrust of Al Assad's government, referring to its "numerous previous failures to fulfil its promises", and the final communique spoke of the future necessity of judging the regime by its deeds and not its hollow promises.
These persistent and regular outrages have led the Friends of Syria to move ahead with more substantial activity than at previous meetings. A group of nations, including the US, UK, and several Gulf states, have set up a fund which will provide millions of dollars in aid, and they will also send equipment to Syria's opposition groups. In addition, the nations endorsed a working group on economic recovery, which will be the central point for future international assistance to economic recovery and develop Syria in the future. This working group will be co-chaired by Germany and the UAE.
The Istanbul meeting was a success and its initiatives offer a way for the international community to support the opposition without taking over their cause. It is important that the future of Syria remains a Syrian responsibility. To date the leaders of the opposition have not offered a clear political lead to match the actions of their supporters. The aim of the Friends of Syria has to be to allow the opposition to become more organised, so as to be able to articulate their demands more effectively, and find a peaceful way out of the present regime's disastrous rule.
