Syria opposition fails to reach 'common vision'

Syrian opposition groups meeting in Cairo struggle to forge a common vision for a transition in the country after a blueprint was adopted by world powers on the weekend.

Syrian opposition groups meeting in Cairo are struggle to forge a common vision for a transition in the country after a blueprint was adopted by world powers on the weekend.

They disagreed on several issues, including foreign military intervention in Syria, where a crackdown by President Bashar al-Assad's regime has left over 16,500 dead in 16 months, participants said.

The Syrian Kurdish National Council briefly walked out of the talks over disagreements on the wording of the final document before rejoining the meeting again, state television reported.

"There were several disagreements, but the situation was contained and there will be a common vision presented later," said participant Mays al-Kridi.

"The Syrian opposition wants to contain the issue and wants to resolve the situation," she told state TV.

Earlier the Syrian Revolution General Commission (SRGC) pulled out of the conference, citing "political disputes" according to a statement.

The SRGC said it refuses to "engage in political disputes, which play with the fate of our people and our revolution" or accept "agendas that place the revolution between the anvil and the hammer of international conflicts and the criminal Syrian regime."

The group also criticised world powers, who agreed on Saturday in Geneva on a transitional plan for Syria, in compromise with Russia and China, key allies of the Damascus regime.

"Talking about unifying the opposition is hollow speech aimed at covering up for the failure of the Geneva meeting," the SRGC said, also accusing the regime of committing more massacres in the country.

"The priority now is to continue to strengthen unity among the Syrian revolutionary forces, mainly the Free Syrian Army inside the country, and to secure support for this (military) option by all means," it added.

"This alone assures blessed victory for the revolution and can change the domestic and international equation," it said.

The Free Syrian Army is boycotting the conference and has described the Cairo meeting as a "conspiracy."

The SRGC was formed in August 2011 - five months after the start of the uprising against President Bashar al-Assad's rule - by some 44 opposition groups committed to focus on toppling the regime.