BELGRADE, January 19 (RIA Novosti) - Croatia has recognized the National Coalition for Syrian Revolutionary and Opposition Forces (SNCROF) as the only legitimate representative of the Syrian people, the Croatian Foreign Ministry said.

“Croatia believes that the coalition will provide for the formation of the foundation for the political transformation in Syria that will lead to the development of Syria as of a democratic state, which respects fundamental civil and human rights,” the ministry said in a statement.

The SNCROF was formed on November 11 in Doha, Qatar, and proclaims itself the legitimate representative of the Syrian people.

Last month, the leader of the newly formed Syrian opposition coalition, Ahmed Mouaz Khatib, held talks with the European Union's foreign ministers. They recognized the SNCROF as "the legitimate representative" of the Syrian people.

More than 100 nations, including the United States and Western European countries, declared their support for the opposition coalition in December at a gathering in Marrakech, Morocco.

Syrian opposition, backed by the West and some Arab countries, is pushing for President Bashar al-Assad’s ouster as the main condition for the settlement of the almost two years old internal conflict that has already claimed over 40,000 lives, according to human rights monitors.