Syria seeks 'national' opposition's full representation in Geneva

The Syrian parliament speaker stressed Tuesday on full representation of Syria's "national" opposition in the peace talks of Geneva II conference, state media said.

"We insist on the participation of the national opposition at home and abroad in the dialogue, those who have proven that they want to reach a political solution to save Syria from more destruction and woes," Xinhua quoted Gihad Laham as saying.

In a jab at the Western-backed Syrian National Coalition (SNC), the main opposition umbrella group in exile, Laham said such group has no capability to take a decision before checking with their US patron.

The SNC has particpated in the first two rounds of the dialogue with the Syrian government in Geneva, but other opposition groups at home have been excluded.

The domestically-based National Coordination Body (NCB) criticised the western powers' exclusion of the home-based opposition and their ultimate support to the SNC.

On Monday, the NCB members charged that the countries supporting the SNC, the sole delegation of the opposition to the Geneva conference, were behind the NCB's exclusion.

The home-based opposition groups demanded an equal representation in the Geneva II talks to achieve positive outcome for the conference.

The third round of talks was reportedly agreed upon by the Syrian government and the SNC, but its date is yet to be announced.