Syrian opposition wants rebel backing for Geneva talks

[YahooNews]

By Dasha Afanasieva ISTANBUL (Reuters) - Syria's opposition is edging towards agreeing to international peace talks in Geneva but wants approval from fighters inside the country first to give the process more legitimacy, its spokesman said at talks in Istanbul. The leadership of the Syrian National Coalition is meeting to agree its stance on the "Geneva 2" talks, which aim to end Syria's two-and-a-half year civil war by creating a transitional governing body. A draft resolution reaffirms the coalition's commitment to a political solution to the conflict and echoes a declaration in London last month by the Friends of Syria pro-opposition alliance ruling out any role for President Bashar al-Assad in a transitional administration, opposition sources said. But the opposition said coalition members want to seek the backing of rebel fighting units, community leaders and activists inside Syria for the resolution, to counter criticism that they are out of touch with those battling on the ground.