Ahmad Al Jarba, the President of the Syrian National Coalition has appealed to members of the Friends of Syria in New York for international support for the Syrian Opposition, saying that extremist Islamist groups were “nothing to do” with the Syrian people.

“The Syrian people support peace and moderation, tolerance and coexistence. What we are seeing from groups linked to Al Qaeda has nothing to do with the Syrian people, its revolution, or the Free Syrian Army. The extremism, much of it imported from outside Syria, has emerged as a phenomenon supported, planned, and left alone by the regime in an attempt to turn the revolution into a sectarian conflict,” Jarba said.

The Friends of Syria is mainly comprised of Western and Gulf Arab states, as well as Turkey.

In his speech, Jarba criticized the Assad regime for its position that it is “fighting terrorism” by attacking the insurgency, accusing the Syrian government of targeting civilians.

“The regime has sought to portray itself as fighting terrorism, even as [it] destroys cities, villages, mosques, and churches in violation of international humanitarian law. Were the hundreds of children lined up in Ghouta [the site of the August 21 chemical weapons attacks] terrorists? With the introduction of sectarian Iranian and Hizbollah militias, and the indiscriminate bombardment by tanks and aircrafts, can the regime’s fight fairly be construed as targeting terrorists?,” Jarba asked.

The Syrian people support peace and moderation, tolerance and coexistence. What we are seeing from groups linked to al Qaeda has nothing to do with the Syrian people, its revolution, or the Free Syrian Army. The extremism, much of it imported from outside Syria, has emerged as a phenomenon supported, planned, and left alone by the regime in an attempt to turn the revolution into a sectarian conflict.

Jarba said that the international community’s focus on chemical weapons ignored the fact that the Assad regime is “faces insufficient consequences for the use of conventional weapons to kill civilians on a daily basis”.

Jarba’s position reflected that the Syrian Coalition will not accept any international “peace conference” without the precondition that Assad step down.

“Departure of the regime is a necessary prerequisite to peace-building and national reconciliation,” he said.

Jarba added,”First, all parties must recognize that the goal of negotiations is the implementation of the Geneva Communiqué and its international commitment to a transition to democracy. Second, there must be a clear timetable for this transition. Third, foreign militias must be made to leave Syria. Fourth, the regime must take confidence-building measures such as the release of political prisoners, lifting of sieges against cities, and providing the necessary elements to alleviate the humanitarian crisis. Fifth, there must be an Arab commitment to support the Syrian people during transition, in addition to the broader international support.”

Regarding the transitional government, Jarba said this must “have full executive powers, including military and security authority, and judicial powers, with a clear timeframe for democratic elections.”

The Free Syrian Army “will be restructured as a national army that protects Syria and its national unity, free of political party control,” he added — but did not comment on what would happen to the Syrian Arab Army and those serving in it, or make any comment on what would happen to those insurgent brigades that are outside the FSA.

Jarba added that the international community should call on Assad to lift the siege on opposition-controlled areas — including the Ghouta region, which has been under siege for nine months — and allow international aid to reach civilians.

Meanwhile, also on Thursday, The Friends of Syria said that it was “determined” to boost aid to “all components” the National Coalition, “in order to allow a political transition, and to empower a credible alternative to both the Syrian regime and extremist groups.”