The Syrian National Coalition has concluded meetings on the establishment of a united National Army and an interim government, amidst disagreement among its members over the naming of a prime minister and other issues.
Disagreements have also arisen with the Free Syrian Army (FSA) over the formation of the National Army, with the spokesman for the FSA claiming the Chief of Staff did not discuss the decision with the Coalition.
A Syrian opposition source said that Ahmad Tumeh is the sole nominee for the position of Prime Minister of the interim government and that is the first opposition government is expected to convene in September. The source said the government that will act as the executive branch to provide services to Syrians abroad and in liberated areas of Syria, while the Coalition will maintain their political role.
Coalition member in the information office Mohammad Sarmini revealed that "the political commission of the Coalition will invite the sole nominee for the position of the prime minister, Ahmad Tumeh, to its meeting in Istanbul to listen to his program.” He pointed out that Tumeh was the "representative of the Islamic movement in the Damascus Declaration."
Sarmini added that "the political commission will then invite the general commission of the Coalition to discuss and elect Tumeh as a prime minister for the interim government," expecting that "the meeting of the general commission will be at the end of this month.".
"We expect to see the interim government formed by Tumeh next September," Sarmini said.
“The government will consist of 12 ministries, most prominent are the ministries of defense, interior, agriculture, energy, local administration, finance and economy, in addition to the ministry of refugees, detainees and martyrs," Sarmini said.
“The military troops which are under the command of Syrian Free Army chief staff will be considered the executive military wing of the interim government, and the new defense minister will be chosen by Free Army's chief staff,” Sarmini added.
He also said the political commission “receives only the nominations for the position of the prime minister under the supervision of the legal bureau, while the choice of the position and the hearing of his program of its president takes place only at the meeting of the general commission.”
Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
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