France welcomes election of SNC leaders

The French Foreign Ministry on Saturday welcomed the election of Ahmed Assi Al-Jerba as President of the Syrian National Coalition (SNC) - replacing Ahmad Moath Al-Khatib, and three vice presidents of the council. France congratulates Al-Jerba on his election as leader of the coalition in the coming stage, according to a statement posted by the ministry on its website. The handover of the coalition\'s leadership during the annual meeting of the SNC in Istanbul, Turkey, earlier today is an important step that reaffirms the coalition\'s status as legitimate representative of the Syrian people, it pointed out. Reaffirming commitment to the Syrian opposition, the ministry urged the international community to scale up support for the coalition and the relief effort for the Syrian people who undergo incessant atrocities at the hands of the regime particularly in besieged city of Homs. The 114-member SNC named also Suhair Al-Atasi, Mohamed Tayfur and Salem Al-Meslat as vice presidents, and Bader Jamous as Secretary General.