International recognition of the Syrian National Council
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Syrian National Council The Syrian National Council (SNC; ar, المجلس الوطني السوري, ''al- Majlis al-Waṭanī as-Sūri'', french: Conseil national syrien), sometimes known as the Syrian National Transitional Council or the National Council of Syri ...
(SNC) is recognised by 7 UN members, the
Republic of Kosovo Kosovo ( sq, Kosova or ; sr-Cyrl, Косово ), officially the Republic of Kosovo ( sq, Republika e Kosovës, links=no; sr, Република Косово, Republika Kosovo, links=no), is a international recognition of Kosovo, partiall ...
and the
European Union The European Union (EU) is a supranational political and economic union of member states that are located primarily in Europe. The union has a total area of and an estimated total population of about 447million. The EU has often been des ...
as a legitimate representative of the
Syria Syria ( ar, سُورِيَا or سُورِيَة, translit=Sūriyā), officially the Syrian Arab Republic ( ar, الجمهورية العربية السورية, al-Jumhūrīyah al-ʻArabīyah as-Sūrīyah), is a Western Asian country loc ...
n people in the midst of the Syrian Civil War, with three of those being permanent members of the Security Council. One country,
Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...
, recognises the SNC as the legitimate government of Syria. In November 2012, the council agreed to unify with several other opposition groups such as the NCCDC and the Damascus Declaration to form the
Syrian National Coalition The National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces ( ar, الائتلاف الوطني لقوى الثورة والمعارضة السورية), commonly named the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) ( ar, الائتلاف الو ...
. The SNC had 22 out of 60 seats of the Syrian National Coalition. In January 2014 the Council withdrew from the Syrian National Coalition in protest at the decision of the coalition to attend the Geneva talks.


International standing and recognition

The Syrian National Council has asked for recognition within the international community, but it also denies that it seeks to play the role of a
government-in-exile A government in exile (abbreviated as GiE) is a political group that claims to be a country or semi-sovereign state's legitimate government, but is unable to exercise legal power and instead resides in a foreign country. Governments in exile u ...
. As of 27 February 2012, the Syrian National Council is currently recognised or supported in some capacity by 17 UN member states, with three of those being permanent members of the Security Council,
France France (), officially the French Republic ( ), is a country primarily located in Western Europe. It also comprises of Overseas France, overseas regions and territories in the Americas and the Atlantic Ocean, Atlantic, Pacific Ocean, Pac ...
, the
United States The United States of America (U.S.A. or USA), commonly known as the United States (U.S. or US) or America, is a country primarily located in North America. It consists of 50 states, a federal district, five major unincorporated territorie ...
, the
United Kingdom The United Kingdom of Great Britain and Northern Ireland, commonly known as the United Kingdom (UK) or Britain, is a country in Europe, off the north-western coast of the continental mainland. It comprises England, Scotland, Wales and North ...
,
Spain , image_flag = Bandera de España.svg , image_coat = Escudo de España (mazonado).svg , national_motto = ''Plus ultra'' (Latin)(English: "Further Beyond") , national_anthem = (English: "Royal March") , i ...
,
Bulgaria Bulgaria (; bg, България, Bǎlgariya), officially the Republic of Bulgaria,, ) is a country in Southeast Europe. It is situated on the eastern flank of the Balkans, and is bordered by Romania to the north, Serbia and North Macedon ...
,
Tunisia ) , image_map = Tunisia location (orthographic projection).svg , map_caption = Location of Tunisia in northern Africa , image_map2 = , capital = Tunis , largest_city = capital , ...
,
Egypt Egypt ( ar, مصر , ), officially the Arab Republic of Egypt, is a transcontinental country spanning the northeast corner of Africa and southwest corner of Asia via a land bridge formed by the Sinai Peninsula. It is bordered by the Mediter ...
and also
Libya Libya (; ar, ليبيا, Lībiyā), officially the State of Libya ( ar, دولة ليبيا, Dawlat Lībiyā), is a country in the Maghreb region in North Africa. It is bordered by the Mediterranean Sea to the north, Egypt to Egypt–Libya bo ...
's National Transitional Council, who announced that it had been in talks with the Syrian National Council and is considering to give weapons, volunteer fighters and training via the National Liberation Army to the
Free Syrian Army The Free Syrian Army (FSA) ( ar, الجيش السوري الحر, al-jaysh as-Sūrī al-ḥur) is a loose faction in the Syrian Civil War founded on 29 July 2011 by officers of the Syrian Armed Forces with the goal of bringing down the governm ...
. It has received support of the Turkish Prime Minister,
Recep Tayyip Erdogan Recep may refer to: People Surname * Aziz Recep (born 1992), German-Greek footballer * Sibel Recep (born 1987), Swedish pop singer Given name * Recep Adanır (born 1929), Turkish footballer * Recep Akdağ (born 1960), Turkish physician and poli ...
. The Foreign Ministers of seven UN member states, notably
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and the
People's Republic of China China, officially the People's Republic of China (PRC), is a country in East Asia. It is the world's most populous country, with a population exceeding 1.4 billion, slightly ahead of India. China spans the equivalent of five time zones and ...
, have met with representatives of the council, but have not recognised or supported it officially in any capacity nor have they, excepting Australia and Austria, explicitly rejected the Assad government.


UN member states


Non-UN member states


Autonomous regions

*: On 11 January 2012, President
Massoud Barzani Masoud Barzani ( ku, ,مه‌سعوود بارزانی, translit=Mesûd Barzanî}; born 16 August 1946) is a Kurdish politician who has been leader of the Kurdistan Democratic Party (KDP) since 1979, and was President of the Kurdistan Region of ...
met with a SNC delegation and "pledged his support in the coming weeks for enhanced cooperation between the SNC and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in implementing the will of the Syrian people."


International organisations


Political parties and legislatures

*: On 14 November 2011,
Abbassi Madani Abbassi Madani (; 28 February 1931 – 24 April 2019) was an Algerian politician who was the President of the Islamic Salvation Front. As its leader, he became the voice of a large part of the dispossessed Algerian youth. Career Madani was born ...
, president of
Islamic Salvation Front The Islamic Salvation Front ( ar, الجبهة الإسلامية للإنقاذ, al-Jabhah al-Islāmiyah lil-Inqādh; french: Front Islamique du Salut, FIS) was an Islamist political party in Algeria. The party had two major leaders representi ...
in Algeria recognised the SNC as the sole representative of Syria. *: On 7 March 2012, The Council of Representatives of Bahrain voted to request that the government recognize the Syrian National Council as the representative of the Syrian people. *: On 11 October 2011, Democratic Alliance for Egypt has stated its support for the council as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. *: On 15 November 2011,
Islamic Action Front The Islamic Action Front ( ar, جبهة العمل الإسلامي ''Jabhat al-'Amal al-Islami'', IAF) is an Islamist political party in Jordan. It is the political wing of the Muslim Brotherhood in Jordan. Founded in 1992 with 350 members, E ...
, the political wing of the
Muslim Brotherhood The Society of the Muslim Brothers ( ar, جماعة الإخوان المسلمين'' ''), better known as the Muslim Brotherhood ( ', is a transnational Sunni Islamist organization founded in Egypt by Islamic scholar and schoolteacher Hassan ...
in Jordan, recognised the SNC. *: On 28 October 2011,
National Assembly of Kuwait The National Assembly ( ar, مجلس الأمة) is the unicameral legislature of Kuwait. The National Assembly meets in Kuwait City. Political parties are illegal in Kuwait, candidates run as independents. The National Assembly is made up of 50 ...
requested the Kuwaiti government to recognise the SNC as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people. On 6 December, Kuwait's Emir
Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah Sabah Al-Ahmad Al-Jaber Al-Sabah ( ar, الشيخ صباح الأحمد الجابر الصباح, translit=ash-Shaykh Sabāh al-ʾAḥmad al-Jābir aṣ-Ṣabāḥ; 16 June 192929 September 2020) was the Emir of Kuwait and Commander of the Kuwa ...
dissolved the assembly. However, on 29 February, the next parliament voted 44-5 (including all cabinet members voting in favour) to approve a new non-binding resolution to request that the government recognise the SNC. *: The opposition March 14th Alliance has praised the Syria National Council's "Open letter to the Lebanese people" of 26 January 2012. “The General Secretariat considers the SNC statement as a sign of hope and a courageous step that opens a new page in the Lebanese-Syrian ties based on the sovereignty and independence of both countries... March 14 looks forward to further communication with the SNC.” In addition, the two largest organized parties forming the coalition have voiced positive reactions to the SNC communique: ** Future Movement: Lebanon's largest opposition party reacted positively to the SNC's proposals to review all present Lebanese-Syrian agreements and demarcate the border between the two countries once in power. “The council’s brave step will pave the way for a new chapter of ties between Lebanon and Syria.. “These ties will properly reflect the fraternal relationship between the countries.. The movement voices its complete support for the Syrian people’s choices in its pursuit for freedom and democracy.” **
Lebanese Forces The Lebanese Forces ( ar, القوات اللبنانية '')'' is a Lebanese Christian-based political party and former militia during the Lebanese Civil War. It currently holds 19 of the 128 seats in Lebanon's parliament and is therefore th ...
: Party chairman
Samir Geagea Samir Farid Geagea ( ar, سمير فريد جعجع   Lebanese pron.: , also spelled Samir Ja'ja'; born 25 October 1952) is a Lebanese politician and militia commander who has been leading the Lebanese Forces party and dissolved militia ...
remarked that "“The statement of the SNC is a new gateway to correct the ties between Lebanon and Syria.. What is more important is that the clauses of the statement be implemented.” Geagea went on to criticise the Lebanese government's handling of the Syrian Uprising, specifically noting that Foreign Minister Adnan Mansour is "not applying the policy of disassociating Lebanon from the Syrian crisis... How can the government match the policy of disassociation with the advocacies of Mansour defending the Syrian regime during the Arab League’s meeting on Syrian crisis?”. He called on the government to “take all the necessary measures to protect civilians” from rights violations by Syrian security authorities and requested that the cabinet "ask the Syrian government to apologise and put an end to the violations along the border, otherwise, it must resort to the UN Security Council.” *: On 19 October 2011,
Jamaat-e-Islami Jamaat-e-Islami ( ur, ) () is an Islamic movement founded in 1941 in British India by the Islamic theologian and socio-political philosopher, Syed Abul Ala Maududi.van der Veer P. and Munshi S. (eds.''Media, War, and Terrorism: Responses fro ...
in Pakistan recognised SNC and requested the Pakistani government and Islamic countries to do the same thing.


UN Member/Observer States Opposing Recognition


Non-UN Member/observer States Opposing Recognition


See also

*
International recognition of the National Transitional Council International recognition of the National Transitional Council of Libya was given by the majority of international states but was not universal. By 2012, 104 United Nations members and two observer states had announced they recognised the NTC as ...


References

{{2011 Syrian uprising Politics of Syria International reactions to the Syrian civil war Syrian National Council
Syrian National Council The Syrian National Council (SNC; ar, المجلس الوطني السوري, ''al- Majlis al-Waṭanī as-Sūri'', french: Conseil national syrien), sometimes known as the Syrian National Transitional Council or the National Council of Syri ...
Foreign relations of the Syrian Opposition