Arabs’ indecision over rebel body leaves Syria seat vacant

KUWAIT— The Syrian National Coalition (SNC) on Tuesday called for support of the rebels seeking to oust Syrian President Bashar Assad with sophisticated weapons, as Saudi Arabia accused the international community of letting the Syrian opposition down.

“I ask you [Arab leaders] to put pressure on the international community to commit to its pledges to provide heavy weapons to the revolutionaries,” Ahmad Jarba, president of the SNC, said in a speech at the opening session of the 25th Arab Summit in Kuwait.

Jarba, who addressed the summit as a guest, criticised the decision not to give Syria’s seat, at the summit, to the coalition.

“Leaving Syria’s seat empty sends a message to Assad...’kill, kill, the seat is waiting for you once the battle is over’,” he said.

At last year’s summit in Doha, Arab leaders agreed to give Syria’s seat to the SNC. However, Iraq and Algeria have expressed reservations, while Lebanon has maintained a neutral stand on the issue. 

The rest of the Arab states support the move, with conditions. It was decided that the seat would be vacant this year until the coalition completes procedures required by the Arab League.

Jarba also urged Arab states to hand over Syrian embassies to the coalition.

“Reality dictates that Syrian embassies in the Arab capitals should be given to the coalition after the regime lost its legitimacy and nobody remains to cater to Syrians’ interests in Arab capitals, making their situation worse,” Jarba said.

Saudi Arabian Crown Prince Salman Bin Abdul Aziz said the international community has let down the Syrian opposition, reiterating Riyadh’s support for the SNC as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people.

“There is a legitimate resistance in Syria that was betrayed by the international community and left as prey in the face of an oppressive force,” the prince, who is also deputy premier and minister of defence, said at the summit.

“It does not make sense that we do not see the coalition today taking Syria’s seat at the summit and assuming its natural place. We hope this situation will be corrected,” said the prince.

The Saudi prince called for changing the balance of power on the ground in Syria, where he said terrorist groups from several areas have entered the country.

“The crisis in Syria has reached catastrophic levels, as half of the Syrian people are either displaced within their country or refugees abroad,” Prince Salman said at the summit, which was attended by 13 Arab heads of state.