Syrian opposition leader calls for 18 month transition period before elections

Syria should have an 18-month transition period to establish "a safe, neutral, and quiet environment" for free elections, Hadi Al-Bahra, the head of Syria's main opposition abroad, told Reuters on the sidelines of the Doha Forum, Report informs.

In a seismic moment for the Middle East, Syrian rebels seized control of Damascus on Sunday, forcing President Bashar al-Assad to flee after more than 13 years of civil war, ending his family's decades-long rule.

Al-Bahra, President of the Syrian National Coalition, said Syria should draft a constitution within six months, on which the first election would be a referendum.

"The constitution will say, are we going to have a parliamentary system, presidential system, or mixed system? And based on this, we do the election and the people choose their leader," said Al-Bahra.

He added that the opposition had asked state employees to continue to report to work until the power transition, and assured them that they would not be harmed.