The NCC initiative calls for negotiations „to agree on a state of political transition with a definite period – one year – that is to prepare the country for a democratic, pluralistic parliamentary system“.

The NCC has been accused of being a „regime front group“ by other opposition activists and it is the only major opposition group calling for dialogue with the Assad regime. All of the other major opposition groups say the president must go. The Syrian National Council condemned the NCC initiative for equating „victim with murderer“.