DHAKA: Saudi Arabia’s Gulf Arab allies and Egypt have applauded its decision to reject a UN Security Council seat in protest at the world body’s failure to act on Syria, whose leader is backed by Russia and Shia Iran.

Saudi Arabia turned down a coveted two-year term on the council on Friday in a rare display of anger with what it called ‘double standards’ in the United Nations.

Permanent council members Russia and China have repeatedly blocked resolutions to condemn Syrian president Bashar al-Assad, a longtime ally of Iran, Riyadh’s main regional rival.

Saudi Arabia, which backs the mostly Sunni Muslim rebels fighting to overthrow Assad, has described his attempts to crush them as genocide.

BDST: 1853 HRS, OCT 21, 2013
RoR/GCP