Syrian opposition to pick provisional PM next week

The main Syrian National Coalition opposition organization will meet in Istanbul next week to elect a provisional prime minister, coalition members said on Thursday.

The decision was made after former Prime Minister Riad Hijab, the highest ranking civilian defector since the revolt and the top candidate for the job, withdrew his candidacy, several coalition members told Reuters in Amman. Hijab had run into opposition from Islamists and liberal members of the coalition for his previous ties with Syria's ruling hierarchy. (Reuters)