The Creation of the Syrian National Council

Since the beginning of the Syrian Revolution, the opposition has worked hard to unite its efforts in creating an all-inclusive representative body for the nation. The goal of this body is to support the Syrian people's Revolution and their struggle for freedom, dignity, and democracy. Over the course of eight months, the concept of a political umbrella organization that encompasses the youth of the Revolution, the nation's political forces, and national figures, emerged. This organization would deliver the message of the Syrian people in the field of international diplomacy, with the aim of overthrowing the regime, its figureheads, and the pillars upon which it stands to establish a democratic, multi-party, and civil state.

The idea of the Syrian National Council (SNC) was inspired by previous initiatives and attempts at unifying opposition groups. It has become a pressing necessity to form a council that includes competent national figures to serve as a political umbrella for the Syrian Revolution in the international arena and support the just cause of the Syrian people, who yearn to be liberated from tyranny and create a civil democratic state.

A team of experts, technocrats, and political figures worked collaboratively to formulate a new mechanism by which they could establish a council that includes competent national figures while considering the diversity that reflects Syrian society within the following steps:

• Mapping Syrian political groups that support the Revolution and preparing lists of national and effective figures for nomination.
• Determining the qualifications required for membership to the SNC depending on their duties.
• Establishing standards for representing the Syrian people on the Council in a manner that reflects the diverse nature of Syria socially, ideologically, and politically, with reasonable ratios.
• Proposing the formation of the Council based on the outlined specifications and criteria that achieve diversity.

The SNC is committed to achieving its objectives within the following basic principles:

• Working to overthrow the regime using all legal means.
• Affirming national unity among all components of Syrian society (e.g., Arabs and Kurds, as well as ethnic, religious, and sectarian groups) and rejecting all calls for ethnic strife.
• Safeguarding the non-violent character of the Syrian Revolution.
• Protecting national independence and sovereignty, and rejecting foreign military intervention.