Al-Khatib’s ‘resignation’ seen as dig at Qatar

There have long been rumours that Qatar wanted Moaz Al-Khatib, the leader of the opposition Syrian National Coalition, out (GSN 943/5, 937/5). Al-Khatib announced his resignation on 24 March, just a few days after Ghassan Hitto was elected prime minister of the Coalition’s interim government. At least nine members of the Coalition – the main Syrian opposition umbrella grouping, also known as the National Coalition for Syrian Opposition and Revolutionary Forces – suspended their membership after Hitto, viewed by many as Qatar’s candidate, was elected in the early hours of 19 March at a typically fractious opposition meeting in Istanbul.