France declares support for anti-Assad coalition

President Francois Hollande has announced that France has become the first Western state to formally recognize the new anti-Assad National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces as the legitimate political representatives of the Syrian nation. President Hollande stated in a press conference that “…France recognizes the Syrian National Coalition as the sole legitimate representative of the Syrian people and as the future government of a democratic Syria, allowing it to bring an end to Bashar al-Assad’s regime.” France was also the first Western country to formally recognize the rebel council against Gaddafi as the legitimate representative of Libya. The US and UK have also expressed support for the coalition but have not recognized it as a formal government.