The Syrian National Coalition's French Ambassador, Munzir Makhous said the Coalition has yet to receive an official invitation to the scheduled Geneva 2 talks, but denied any controversy around the issue, saying the project was yet to be finalized.
Speaking to Zaman al-Wasl, Makhous said the Coalition has not specified the form of its participation, or whether it had decided to attend at all.
Responding to questions about how the expansion of the Coalition would benefit Syrian people, Makhous said "there is "no doubt that the addition of these national figures will enhance the decision-making abilities of the opposition."
"The political movements had applied for membership in the Coalition since its inception. The political project of the Coalition was intended to keep the door open for all Syrian people," he said.
Makhous also said that the expansion will include 20-30 new national figures and that those will be selected from different backgrounds, in a "positive" reflection of the quality of political reform.
However, the chief legal officer in the Coalition, Hisham Mroue revealed the latest negotiations to expand the Coalition in an exclusive interview with Zaman al-Wasl.
He explained that among the opposition groups, that of Michel Kilo is the most powerful, as they are national figures with a long and well-known history of struggle against the Syrian regime, along with other well-known figures inside Syria.
A Coalition source said Sunday that the body had added eight names from the final list to its membership, including three women. They include: Michel Kilo, a prominent liberal opposition leader; Jamal Suleiman, a renowned actor; Ahmad Abulkheir Shukri; Anwar Badr (writer and former prisoner); Ayman al-Aswad; Alia Mansour; Farah Atassi; and Noura al-Amir.
The Coalition will hold elections on Monday from a 21-member list to appoint the president, two deputies and the general secretary.
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Translated and edited by The Syrian Observer
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