Syria Opposition Leader: Baath Party May Have Role in Post-Assad Future

Members of the ruling party welcome as long as they didn't participate in killings

The leader of Syria's main opposition group said Monday that he would not oppose a role for members of President Bashar Assad's ruling Baath party in the country's political future as long as they did not participate in killings during the uprising.

The comments by Syrian National Council (SNC) head Abdulbaset Sieda appear to be a softening of the opposition's stance that it will accept nothing less than the complete removal of the Assad regime and the president's inner circle. He told The Associated Press that the Turkey-based SNC will meet next week in Qatar and will discuss, among other things, the possibility of Vice President Farouk al-Sharaa serving as interim leader if Assad steps down.