Syria tops the agenda at Arab League summit in Doha

The rotating presidency of the League of Arab States returned to Doha in 2013, after only a year out of Qatari hands. The league’s 24th summit meeting began at the Sheraton hotel in the Qatari capital on 26 March, giving Qatar another platform to demonstrate the regional leadership it aspires to – which it immediately did, by installing the Syrian opposition in Damascus’ seat. The last Arab summit, held in Baghdad on 29 March 2012, was notable for the absence of high-level Gulf delegations. This time, it was a different story. The GCC royals were in town.