Why Syria's UN seat was empty

By Kim Ghattas BBC correspondent in Damascus

All members of the UN Security Council have voted in favour of a resolution on Iraq, except Syria which shunned the session.

The only Arab member of the council, Syria was elected in 2001 for a two-year term as one of the 10 non-permanent members.

Syrians were dead against war in Iraq

Officially, Syria's representative to the UN did not turn up for the vote because he did not have instructions yet from Damascus.

But an editorial in Wednesday's government-run Al-Thawra newspaper made very clear what Syria thought of the resolution.

Al-Thawra said it was meant to give the US and Britain full control over Iraq's oil.

The editorial also said the resolution did not address the issue of Iraq's weapons of mass destruction - which have still not been found - and were the US pretext for invading Iraq.

Arab champion

The resolution was passed after 90 changes were made to the original draft, and the end-result is being described by France as a compromise.

But Syria does not appear in the mood for compromise.

It fiercely opposed the US-led war on Iraq and came under intense US pressure as a result.

Since then Syria has given limited concessions, mostly cosmetic for the moment.

But for as long as it can, Syria wants to continue to portray itself as the defender of Arab causes, in the face of what it often calls imperialistic and zionist designs in the region.