Syrian opposition plans fall apart on eve of Doha conference The new leadership proposal included representatives from opposition groups outside the Syrian National Council, which was once seen as the most likely core of an interim government but has gradually lost favour both with the west and with rebels fighting inside the country. On Wednesday night it seemed that representatives from the National Coordinating Committee, the Syrian Democratic Platform, and the Kurdish ethnic minority had rejected the plan. Furious at being publicly sidelined, the Syrian National Council also voted against the proposal at its general convention on Wednesday and the member most prominent in backing it, Riad Seif, lost his seat on the group's executive council. It had been informally named the "Seif-Ford initiative', indicating the coalition between U.S. ambassador to Syria, Robert Ford, and Mr Seif in forming the plan. SNC members said they rejected Western efforts to impose a solution upon the Syrian people. They've weaved the cloth but now there is no one to wear it," said Ahmed Zaidan, the deputy head of the Revolutionary Council, a body that coordinates with armed groups inside Syria. How can you endorse a plan when you can't defend it?" said an SNC member who was present at the meetings. Countries sympathetic to the Syrian opposition, including Britain, France and the United States, had said they would recognise the new appointed body as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people, and provide financial, and many believed, military support. But following meetings with Mr Ford opposition members said the expectations far exceeded the reality. The Americans have said there are no weapons or military support on the table. They would give money but it would be much less than expected, maybe a few million and even that is not promised," Mr al-Wa'ard said. The opposition meeting will go ahead, but any leadership body is likely to have a majority from the Syrian National Council, a body with little influence on the ground. It may secure more funding but at this point in the Syrian war it not about how much money you pump into this, it is about winning the support of the street to regain control. And the street does not support them," said a western diplomatic source.