New Syrian coalition seeks European recognition

The leader of Syria’s new opposition coalition has urged European states to recognise it as the legitimate government, enabling it to buy the weapons it needs to overthrow president Bashar al-Assad.

Britain and France appeared to set further conditions, notably that it first rally support inside the country, before they grant full recognition to the Syrian National Coalition. And, like the US, Europeans are still reluctant to arm rebel forces which include anti-Western Islamist militants.

Western caution, and an Arab League endorsement that stopped short of full recognition, indicate that the coalition forged with such difficulty in Qatar three days ago may yet find it hard to win whole-hearted support, even from its allies.