(VOVworld) - France has become the first European country to recognize and establish diplomatic relations with Syria’s opposition coalition, considering it "the only representative of the Syrian people". At a recent meeting in Paris with the opposition leader Ahmad Moaz Al-Khatib, French President Francois Hollande announced to receive Syrian opposition ambassador Monzir Makhous and called for further support for the opposition coalition called “National Coaltion of Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces”. President Hollande said: I declare here that France recognizes the opposition coalition as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people. There will be a Syrian ambassador in France designated by the coalition. I have asked French Foreign Minister Laureant Fabius to take the issue to the EU Foreign Ministers Meeting to call for greater support for Syria’s opposition coalition.

French President Francois Hollande and Syrian opposition leader Ahmad Moaz Al-Khatib (Photo: nytimes)

Earlier, Foreign Minister Fabius admitted French on-going assistance for the coalition: France has provided the Syrian opposition force with medicines and finance. France and other EU members impose weapon sanctions against the Syrian administration.

According to Fabius, France will propose to remove the ban of weapons that the Syrian opposition coalition uses for self-defense purpose.