Syrian coalition elects Tomeh head of Syrian interim government

Ahmad Tomeh was elected on Saturday as the head of the interim goverment of Syria by the National Coalition of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (SNC). Holding its 9th General Assembly meeting in Istanbul, the National Coalition of Syrian Revolution and Opposition Forces elected Dr. Ahmad Tomeh to form the Syrian Interim Government. The Syrian coalition in a written statement expressed confidence in the new leader and wished him success in carrying out his duties to meet the aspirations of the Syrian people. Tomeh was chosen as a nominee to lead the interim government, during the last visit of members of the Syrian National Council to Saudi Arabia to discuss the new alliances in and expansion of the Coalition. A dentist originally from Deir al-Zor, who was detained after giving a speech at the funeral of Mohammad Murshed al-Khaznawi, son of the late Syrian Kurdish religious leader Sheikh Mohammad Ma'ashouq al-Khaznawi, Tomeh had gained acceptance also from the Muslim Brotherhood, but was also accepted by the Damascus Declaration group as former member. Damascus Declaration was a statement of unity by Syrian opposition figures issued in October 2005, criticizing the Syrian regime as "authoritarian, totalitarian and cliquish," and called for "peaceful, gradual," reform "founded on accord, and based on dialogue and recognition of the other."