Arab League Summit: Syrian Opposition Calls for UN Seat

The opposition coalition representing Syria at the Arab League summit taking place in Doha has called for a separate seat at the UN and other international bodies.

Moaz al-Khatib, the chief of the Syrian National Coalition, has also insisted that the country's future should be not be decided by the foreign forces. Khatib is representing Syria at the summit instead of President Bashar al-Assad.

"I call for all forms of support from all our brothers and friends, the full right of self-defence, and Syria's seat in the UN and international organizations. We welcome any political solution that could prevent further bloodshed and destruction," said Khatib, addressing the summit at the Qatari capital.

The Arab League kicked off a two-day summit after the emir of Qatar welcomed Khatib to take Syria's seat in the summit.

Qatari ruler Hamad bin Khalifa al Thani said the opposition group deserves "this representation because of the popular legitimacy they have won at home and the broad support they won abroad and the historic role they have assumed in leading the revolution and preparing for building the new Syria."

The opposition leader recently stepped down as the chief citing insufficient support from the international organisations for the Syrian opposition groups. However, his resignation is yet to be officially accepted by the opposition coalition.

"What's happening within the coalition is normal. It's just like what happens in parliaments around the world. There are differences of opinion," Khatib said ahead of the summit.

During the summit, the member states have also given "right" to provide any kind of assistance to the Syrian rebels including weapons supply. The member states have also condemned Assad for the regime's violations against Syrians.

"The right to send more weapons to support the opposition is not an end to political efforts, but this might establish balance between both parties," Arab League's Secretary-General Nabil Elaraby told the reporters.

Assad's regime in Damascus however poured scorn on Arab League's decision to install the opposition group representing Syria.

"The shameful decisions it (Arab League) has taken against the Syrian people since the beginning of the crisis and until now have sustained our conviction that it has exchanged its Arab identity with a Zionist-American one," said an editorial in the regime's mouthpiece, al-Thawra.