The US Secretary of State John Kerry announced that Washington will not
stand in the face of EU states that wish to arm the Syrian opposition.
This after several European states including the UK and France voiced
willingness to ease the arm embargo against Syria and consequently
provide Syrian rebels with necessary military equipment "even if the
European Union as a whole rejects the proposition."
Meanwhile, the chief of staff of the most official grouping of Syrian rebels has thrown his weight behind the formation of an interim government to administer rebel-controlled areas.
Gen. Salim Idris told reporters in Istanbul on Monday that the fighters of the Free Syrian Army will work under the umbrella of the interim government and protect its members inside Syria.
His comments came as the Syrian opposition pushes to choose a prime minister who will form an interim government. The coalition has failed to take such a step twice before, but members say there now appears to be more agreement that such a step is necessary.
It is unclear how many anti-government fighters fall under Idris' command, though many brigades do not recognize his group.
Syria's main opposition coalition began a push Monday to form an interim government to provide services to people living in parts of the country now controlled by rebel forces.
The effort is the most serious yet by the forces opposing President Bashar Assad to establish a rival administration and bring together all the factions fighting Assad's forces on the ground.
At the start of the conference Monday, there was no guarantee it would succeed. Two previous attempts to form an interim government failed because of divisions within the coalition, and some members said before the meeting Monday that it was unclear if they would agree this time.
But many said that this time, there is a new sense within the opposition that unification is necessary, as government retreats have expanded the size of the rebel-held zone that now encompasses much of Syria's largest city Aleppo and one provincial capital, Raqqa.
Currently for practical purposes local rebel garrisons or community councils run villages and neighborhoods, with limited cooperation between them. Many communities have little electricity and no running water.
Two years after the anti-Assad uprising began, the conflict has become a civil war, with hundreds of rebel group fighting Assad's forces across Syrian and millions of people pushed from their homes by the violence. The U.N. says more than 70,000 people have been killed.
International diplomacy has failed to stop the bloodshed, and calls for a negotiated solution have gone nowhere.
In a stance that could frustrate their Western backers, including the United States, coalition members dismiss any possibility of negotiating with the current regime and insist they will talk only when Assad has left power. Many believe the only way to accomplish this is through continued advances by rebel forces.
Twelve candidates have been nominated for Prime Minster, who will be elected by the coalition's 73 members. The vote is expected by Tuesday.
It remained unclear Monday exactly when the vote would take place and who the final candidates would be. Some coalition members suggested that if they could not agree, they could form an executive commission.
AP