The Syrian National Council (SNC) is recognised by 7 UN members, the Republic of Kosovo and the European Union as a legitimate representative of the Syrian people in the midst of the Syrian Civil War, with three of those being permanent members of the Security Council. One country, Libya, recognises the SNC as the legitimate government of Syria. In November 2012, the council agreed to unify with several other opposition groups such as the NCCDC and the Damascus Declaration to form the Syrian National Coalition. The SNC had 22 out of 60 seats of the Syrian National Coalition. In January 2014 the Council withdrew from the Syrian National Coalition in protest at the decision of the coalition to attend the Geneva talks. International standing and recognition The Syrian National Council has asked for recognition within the international community, but it also denies that it seeks to play the role of a government-in-exile. As of 27 February 2012, the Syrian National Council is currently recognised or supported in some capacity by 17 UN member states, with three of those being permanent members of the Security Council, France, the United States, the United Kingdom, Spain, Bulgaria, Tunisia, Egypt and also Libya's National Transitional Council, who announced that it had been in talks with the Syrian National Council and is considering to give weapons, volunteer fighters and training via the National Liberation Army to the Free Syrian Army. It has received support of the Turkish Prime Minister, Recep Tayyip Erdogan. The Foreign Ministers of seven UN member states, notably Russia and the People's Republic of China, have met with representatives of the council, but have not recognised or supported it officially in any capacity nor have they, excepting Australia and Austria, explicitly rejected the Assad government. UN member states Non-UN member states Autonomous regions : On 11 January 2012, President Massoud Barzani met with a SNC delegation and "pledged his support in the coming weeks for enhanced cooperation between the SNC and the Kurdistan Regional Government (KRG) in implementing the will of the Syrian people." International organisations Political parties and legislatures : On 14 November 2011, Abbassi Madani, president of Islamic Salvation Front in Algeria recognised the SNC as the sole representative of Syria. : On 7 March 2012, The Council of Representatives of Bahrain voted to request that the government recognize the Syrian National Council as the representative of the Syrian people.