U.S. Says Syrian Opposition Must Coordinate First

The United States said Monday that the Syrian opposition's first priority should be to coordinate and set a democratic path after France called for the quick formation of a provisional government.

President Francois Hollande, stepping up pressure on Syria in a speech to French diplomats, pledged that France would recognize a provisional government as soon as it is formed and urged the rebels to be inclusive.

Asked about Hollande's remarks, State Department spokeswoman Victoria Nuland said that the United States was calling on Syria's opposition "to coordinate more closely" with citizens both inside and outside the war-torn country.

"So that's the first order of business -- for them to all agree on what a transition ought to look like. Obviously, it's a matter for them to decide if and when they may be prepared to start naming folks," she told reporters.

"We would want to ensure that that was based on a solid democratic plan and that it reflected a broad cross-section of those in Syria and reflected the values of inclusion, the values of human rights and protections for all groups," she said.

Some experts and activists have voiced concern about Syria's opposition, fearing that it is disjointed and that Sunni Muslim hardliners would seek revenge against President Bashar Assad's minority Alawite community.

The leader of the Syrian National Council, Abdel Basset Sayda, said on August 21 that the opposition group was studying the formation of a transitional government but warned against moving too quickly.

Hollande in his speech also warned of foreign intervention if Assad used chemical weapons to put down the revolt. Nuland declined comment on Hollande's remarks beyond pointing to U.S. President Barack Obama's statement last week that the use of chemical weapons in Syria would be a "red line."

Activists say around 25,000 people have been killed since March last year as Assad tries to crush the biggest threat to his family's four-decade grip on power.