Ghassan Hitto (2R), Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib (L) and George
Sabra (R) and a Qatari official (2L) at the embassy
inauguration.
(CNN) -- Syria's opposition opened
an embassy Wednesday in Doha, Qatar, a day after Arab
League representatives meeting there allowed the rebels
to take Syria's seat at the summit.
The
embassy is the first for the Syrian National Coalition,
which has been recognized by more than 100 nations as
the legitimate representative of the Syrian people.
Other
coalition ambassadors -- in Paris, London, Washington
and the representative to the Gulf Cooperation Council
countries all operate without a formal embassy building,
according to Sarah Karkour with the coalition's media
office.
The
coalition is taking over the embassy building that
formerly housed the diplomatic representatives of Syrian
President Bashar al-Assad's government, which lashed out
Wednesday at the Arab League's decision to seat rebel
leaders at the summit.
The
government said the Arab League was in violation of its
own charter for its decision to seat "an illegitimate
party and raise a flag other than the Syrian national
flag," the state-run SANA news agency reported.
Russia
also objected to the Syrian National Coalition's role at
the summit, according to the state-run RIA-Novosti news
service.
CNN's Hamdi Alkhshali
contributed to this report
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http://www.cnn.com/2013/03/27/world/meast/syria-qatar-embassy/index.html?hpt=wo_c2