TURKEY: Exiled Syrian opposition members gather in Istanbul to elect leaders

Record ID: 279686

  • Title: TURKEY: Exiled Syrian opposition members gather in Istanbul to elect leaders
  • Date: 17th July 2011
  • Summary: ISTANBUL, TURKEY (JULY 16, 2011) (REUTERS) VARIOUS OF EXTERIOR OF GREEN PARK HOTEL WHERE NATIONAL SALVATION CONFERENCE IS BEING HELD VARIOUS OF SYRIAN DELEGATES AT LOBBY VARIOUS OF ANTI-ASSAD BANNERS IN HALL SYRIAN OPPOSITION MEMBER, ADIB SHISHAKLY, ARRIVING SOUNDBITE (English) SYRIAN OPPOSITION ADIB SHISHAKLY SAYING: "Hopefully it will not affect our conference sinc
  • Embargoed: 1st August 2011 13:00
  • Keywords:
  • Location: Turkey, Turkey
  • Country: Turkey
  • Topics: International Relations,Politics
  • Reuters ID: LVAEOKVQ5ZXOW63SEAXHSKN3C78J
  • Story Text: Exiled members of the Syrian opposition gathered in Istanbul, Turkey on Saturday (July 16) to hold a conference at which they hoped to vote for a leadership group to represent them.
    The conference -- billed the "National Salvation Congress" -- was due to run simultaneously with another in Damascus, but that one was cancelled after security forces killed 14 protesters outside the venue in the Qaboun neighbourhood of the capital where it was due to take place, opposition leader Walid al-Bunni told Reuters.
    "Hopefully it will not affect our (Istanbul) conference since everything is done here in coordination with the inside (those in Syria). Unfortunately it (the conference in Damascus) was cancelled due to security reasons and that is understandable, but we have direct contact with (the people) inside," opposition member at the Istanbul conference Adib Shishakly said.
    Opposition figures said a shadow government had been due to be elected during the Damascus conference. The exiles in Turkey said they would continue to do their part during their meeting.
    "We are hoping to come out with a committee that would represent Syrian people on the outside and the inside as well," Shishakly said.
    Syrian forces killed at least 32 civilians on Friday (July 15), including 23 in the capital Damascus, in an intensifying crackdown on protests against President Bashar al-Assad, activists said.
    It was the highest death toll in the central neighbourhoods of Damascus since the uprising erupted four months ago in the southern Hauran Plain Assad, facing the greatest challenge to 40 years of Baath Party rule, has sought to crush demonstrations that broke out in March. But although rights groups say some 1,400 civilians have been killed, the protests have grown in numbers.
  • Copyright Holder: REUTERS
  • Copyright Notice: (c) Copyright Thomson Reuters 2011. Open For Restrictions - http://about.reuters.com/fulllegal.asp
  • Usage Terms/Restrictions: None
Register