US to double aid to Syrian rebels following assurances However, demands by Turkey for more active intervention, including "humanitarian corridors" for the provision of aid and a no-fly zone, were rejected by other members of the "Friends of Syria" group of nations, meeting in Istanbul. They issued a statement pledging that all aid in future will be channelled through the SNC - an attempt to give it legitimacy inside Syria - and "stressed the necessity to develop news ways for protecting civilians." It added that if the Syrian regime continued to reject proposals by the United Nations and Arab League for Mr Assad to hand over power and negotiate a transitional government, "further announcements regarding expanding our assistance will follow." However, while Saudi Arabia and Qatar are both known to be channeling arms to the rebels, there was no indication that the United States, Britain or other western allies might follow suit. Germany indicated it was still opposed to British and French proposals to lift or amend the EU arms embargo when it up for renewal at the end of May. To win the new funding, the Coalition had to agree to a string of demands, including presenting a more united front than hitherto, pledging not to use chemical weapons, renouncing "terrorism and extremism," and promising to respect the rights of minorities, including the Alawite sect from which the Assad family comes. "Our revolution and vision are for all Syrians," its statement said. There is no room for sectarianism or discrimination on ethnic, religious, linguistic or any other grounds. Universal human rights principles will apply to all Syrians, men and women. William Hague, the foreign secretary said: "We have arrived at a declaration by the Syrian National Coalition that is in effect a compact with the international community. It's in the clearest language that they have yet used - their commitment to a free and democratic Syria, to condemn extremism. The announcement was delayed by disagreements among the opposition's backers. The leading Gulf states, Saudi Arabia and Qatar, are backing different opposition factions, the Qataris close to the Muslim Brotherhood and the Saudis, who fear Brotherhood influence at home, preferring both secular and Salafi groups. In Egypt, rejection by both the Muslim Brotherhood and Salafi parties of universal human rights principles largely because of their stress on women's equality has proved a major bone of contention since the revolution.