UNITED NATIONS: U.N. diplomats say that Syrian opposition's coalition is planning to open offices soon in New York and Washington.

Najib Ghadbian, an associate professor of political science and Middle East studies at the University of Arkansas, will head both offices of the National Alliance and commute between the two cities, the diplomats said Tuesday, speaking on condition of anonymity because the decision hasn't been announced publicly.

The coalition's presence in the U.S. capital and near the United Nations is expected to raise its profile in the United States and internationally, the diplomats said.

Born in a Damascus suburb in 1962, Ghadbian holds a doctorate from the City University of New York, has written several books, and is a founding member of the Democratic Network in the Arab World.