Khatib and Idriss delay Washington trip -- NYT

WASHINGTON (New York Times) — Leaders of the Syrian opposition have put off a visit to Washington for a series of high-profile meetings, including an expected stop at the White House, administration officials said Thursday, underscoring the challenge the United States faces in cultivating a still-evolving political movement.

The Obama administration had invited Moaz al-Khatib, the leader of the Syrian Opposition Council, and Gen. Salim Idriss, the leader of the opposition’s military wing, to make the trip this week, but Mr. Khatib told Secretary of State John Kerry last week at a conference in Rome on the Syria crisis that this was not a good time to visit.

No date has been set, but some American officials are hoping the visit might be possible in April…

(See my March 5 post, “Obama to receive Khatib and FSA chief of staff”)

“Obama to receive Khatib and FSA chief of staff”

Clockwise from top left: Obama, Khatib, Mrs. Atassi and Idriss

President Barack Obama is reportedly expected to receive Syrian National Coalition leader Moaz al-Khatib and the Chief of Staff of the Free Syrian Army, Brig. Gen. Salim Idriss, on their visit to Washington next week.

Syrian American activist Farah Atassi, who broke the news on her Facebook page an hour ago, said both men will also confer with leading members of the U.S. Administration.

Mrs. Atassi is the founder and President of the Arab Information & Resource Center in Washington DC.

She is also executive director of the American Arab Communication & Translation Center (ACT), which provides international consultancy, translations, language services, research, media monitoring, strategic assessment and analysis to U.S. and Arab governments, NGOs and corporations.

The International Peace Federation at the United Nations nominated her as an Ambassador of Peace for her role in business diplomacy, and interfaith and cross-cultural dialogue.