Syrian Opposition Elects Hitto As Provisional Premier

Syrian Opposition Elects Hitto As Provisional Premier

ISTANBUL, March 19 (Reuters) - The opposition Syrian National Coalition chose Western-educated former businessman Ghasssan Hitto as provisional prime minister in a vote on Tuesday at a meeting in Istanbul.

Hitto, who according to a Reuters witness received 35 votes of around 50 cast by coalition members, will be in charge of forming a government to fill a power vacuum in Syria arising from a two-year-long revolt against President Bashar al-Assad.

(Reporting by Khaled Yacoub Oweis, Amman newsroom; Editing by Michael Roddy)

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