Russia criticises Arab League's move to give Syria chair to rebels Russia has criticised the Arab League for giving a seat to a representative of Syria's National Coalition, the political arm of the rebels currently battling the regime of President Bashar al-Assad. The one-day summit in Doha began with the entrance of the president of the coalition Mouaz al-Khatib who took the Syrian chair at the League, receiving a round of applause. The Russian Foreign Ministry said in a statement: "In Doha, another anti-Syria step was taken: a delegation of the Syrian National Coalition was invited and given the right to take the seat of official representatives of Syria in the meeting room." The Arab League's move seals the Syrian president's expulsion from the club.