Syria opposition, UN envoy row over Assad ouster

BEIRUT (AFP) - The opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) and new United Nations (UN) peace envoy Lakhdar Brahimi had a run-in on Sunday over whether it was time for Syrian President Bashar al-Assad to step down.

"The revolutionary Syrian people were shocked and dismayed by Mr Lakhdar Brahimi's statements," said the exiled opposition coalition, triggering a retort from the envoy.

"We call on the international envoy - who has not yet consulted with any Syrians on his appointment or his mission - to apologise to our people for taking this unacceptable position," the SNC said in a statement.

In an interview with Reuters news agency, the veteran Algerian diplomat, named on Friday to replace Mr Kofi Annan who quit, was reported to have said it was too early for him to follow his predecessor in saying Mr Assad must leave office.