US welcomes election of Syrian coalition PM

The US welcomed Monday election of Syrian coalition prime minister Ahmad Tumah, saying it "looks forward to working with him and with his team." State Department Deputy Spokesperson Marie Harf told reporters "we are hopeful that his election will bring greater cohesion to the opposition under the leadership coalition president (Ahmad) Jarba." "A strong and unified opposition is essential to prepare for a negotiated political solution in which Bashar Al-Assad steps down and to achieve a new transition government," she stressed. She added "we look to both the prime minister and the coalition to be inclusive of all Syrian communities as the legitimate representatives of the Syrian people going forward." Tumah was named prime minister during meetings of the opposition forces in Istanbul two days ago.