The Syrian Negotiation Commission (SNC) is an umbrella for all forces of the Syrian opposition and it is formally recognized by the United Nations as the sole representative of the Syrian opposition whose mandate is to negotiate with the regime the establishment of a transitional governing body which can secure a safe and neutral environment in which the transitional process can proceed in accordance with international resolutions.
The SNC consists of 37 members representing 7 components:
- 8 from the National Coalition for Revolution and Opposition Forces
- 5 from the National Coordination Body for Democratic Change Forces
- 4 from Cairo Platform
- 4 from Moscow Platform
- 7 from the Factions
- 8 independents
- 1 from the Kurdish National Council
The National Coalition for Revolution and Opposition Forces:
Establishment: It is a political opposition coalition which was formed in November 2012 following a meeting of a range of Syrian opposition components in Doha. Its main goals include organizing and supporting the revolution, seeking to overthrow the Syrian regime and establish a civil democratic state free of exclusion.
Components: The Coalition consists of 76 members who represent most of the opposition political and revolutionary entities including: provincial councils, the Kurdish National Council, the Turkomen Council, the Syrian National Current, National Future Current, Asyrian Democratic Organization, Muslim Brotherhood, Syrian Tribal Council, Association of Independent Syrian Kurds, independent figures in addition to representatives of military forces.
Principles: The Coalition’s principles include preserving Syria’s national sovereignty and the independence of the Syrian national decision, seeking to overthrow the regime with all its symbols and pillars, dismantling its security apparatus, holding perpetrators of crimes against the Syrian people to account and establishing a civil democratic pluralistic state.
The National Coordination Body for Democratic Change Forces
Establishment: A Syrian opposition assembly consisting of several political parties and independent opposition figures from inside and outside Syria. The Coordination Body was established after a meeting between representatives of some Syrian political parties and independent opposition figure in Damascus countryside in October 2011.
Components: The Coordination Body consists of several leftist Syrian parties, namely: Assyrian Union Party, Socialist Arab Democratic Union, Syrian Communist Labour Party, Syrian Communist Party – Political Bureau, Democratic Socialist Arab Ba’ath Party, Marxist Left Assembly, Together for a Free and Democratic Syria, Kurdish Leftist Party in Syria, Democratic Union Party, Kurdish Democratic Party in Syria, Kurdish Democratic Party in Syria and the Arab Socialists Movement.
Principles: The principles of the Coordination Body include overthrowing the regime with all its symbols, building a democratic system, promoting national unity, asserting the non-violent nature of protests and opposing any form of external intervention.
The Kurdish National Council:
Establishment: The Kurdish National Council was established in October 2011 as a response to the challenge imposed by the PKK-loyal Democratic Union which took over control in Kurdish-majority areas in northern Syria and formed its armed militias and local governance bodies.
Components: The Kurdish National Council is a political coalition comprising 15 parties and factions of Syrian Kurds.
Principles: The principles of the Kurdish National Council include constitutional recognition of the Kurdish national identity, abolishing policies and laws applied on Syrian Kurds, establishing decentralized governance in the framework of Syrian territorial unity, abolishing national, religious or sectarian discrimination and establishing a national secular democratic state for all Syrians.
Cairo Platform:
Establishment: A Syrian assembly which was declared in Egypt in 2014 representing a range of Syrian opposition elements.
Components: Cairo Platform comprises independent figures.
Principles: Cairo Platform supports UNSCR 2254 and Geneva Communique and prioritizes political transition.
Moscow Platform:
Establishment: A Syrian assembly declared in Russia in 2014 representing a range of Syrian opposition elements.
Components: Moscow Platform comprises independent figures.
Principles: Continuing combating terrorism, achieving a political solution through direct negotiations between the government and the opposition represented by one delegation based on consensus and without exclusion.
Military Factions:
Members from the military factions are distributed on various fronts including the southern and northern fronts in addition to representatives of factions affiliated with the Syrian Free Army.
The SNC includes 7 representatives of these factions.
Independents:
Establishment: The level of involving independent figures was expanded in Riyad II Conference in 2017.
Components: The SNC includes 8 independent Syrian members including both men and women.
Principles: Promoting unity of forces around a national vision of the political solution in accordance with Geneva Communique (2012) and UNSCRs 2118 (2013) and 2254 (2015) in order to build a civil democratic pluralistic state based on principles of equal citizenship and reflecting the diversity and richness of the Syrian society and respecting human rights and whose constitution guarantees the rights, cultures and languages of all components of society which represent the culmination of Syria’s history and civilization based on the principle of unity of its territory and people and its territorial integrity.
