France recognizes Syrian opposition

France recognises the newly formed National Coalition of the Syrian opposition as the sole representative of Syria’s people, President Francois Hollande said on Tuesday. “I announce that France recognises the Syrian National Coalition as the sole representative of the Syrian people and thus as the future provisional government of a democratic Syria, allowing an end to the Bashar al-Assad regime,” Hollande told a press conference. The announcement makes France the first major power to officially recognise the broad-based opposition coalition established in Doha on Sunday, reported AFP The move came 24 hours after the coalition was recognised by the GCC. The United States has expressed support for the coalition and said it will work with it as it seeks to overthrow the regime of President Assad.