Russia slams the Arab League decision to grant Syria at the Arab League to the opposition as illegal and indefensible.

Russia slams the Arab League decision to grant Syria at the Arab League to the opposition as illegal and indefensible.

"In terms of international law, the League's decision on Syria is illegal and indefensible because the government of the Syrian Arab Republic was and is the legitimate representative member-state at the United Nations," the Russian foreign ministry said in a statement released on Wednesday.

Earlier on Tuesday, Qatar, who is at the head of the Arab League during this term, granted the seat of the Syrian government to the head of the so-called “Syrian National Coalition”, Moaz al-Khatib.

The foreign ministry noted that Khatib used the opportunity in Doha to call for the establishment of internationally-enforced no-fly zones over areas in Syria controlled by the armed opposition.

It then accused the Arab League of effectively supporting a military solution to the conflict instead of peace talks.

"We are talking about the expression of open support for forces that unfortunately continue to bet on a military solution in Syria, without looking back at the suffering of Syrians, which is growing by the day," said the statement.