The foreign relations of Syrian Opposition refers to the external relations of the self-proclaimed oppositional Syrian Arab Republic, which sees itself as the genuine Syria. The region of control of Syrian opposition affiliated groups is not well defined. The Turkish government recognizes Syrian opposition as the genuine Syrian Arab Republic and hosts several of its institutions on its territory. The seat of Syria in the Arab League is reserved for the Syrian opposition since 2014.
The Syrian Opposition Coalition was formed in Doha in November 2012, and declared itself the legitimate representative of the Syrian people, calling on states to recognize it. It was recognized by the six member States of the Gulf Cooperation Council within a day. The Arab League "urged regional and international organisations to recognise it as a legitimate representative for the aspirations of the Syrian people”, and called it “a legitimate representative and a primary negotiator with the Arab League", but did not recognise it as the sole representative of the Syrian people. France was the first Western country to give recognition to the SOC on 13 November 2012, followed by Turkey on 15 November. On 19 November, Italy and the European Union's Foreign Ministers stated recognition of the SOC as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people. Over the following weeks, Britain recognised it as the sole representative, and Germany, Denmark, Norway, the Benelux countries and the US recognised it as "the" legitimate representative. Similar wording was used by the 114 member Friends of Syria group of states in December 2012.
- The Turkish government recognizes Syrian opposition as the genuine Syrian Arab Republic and hosts several of its institutions on its territory, including the Syrian National Council and the high command of the Free Syrian Army.
- France was the first Western country to give official recognition to the Syrian National Council in November 2012.
- In December 2012, US president Barack Obama announced the US would formally recognise the Syrian Opposition Coalition, rather than the Damascus government, as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people., the embassy of the United States is suspended due to the Syrian civil war. The Syrian National Coalition’s offices in the United States were recognised as diplomatic missions in May 2014.
Relations with international organisations
- The GCC recognized the Syrian National Coalition as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people in November 2012, the first formal international endorsement it received.
