Qatar, France Seek Coalition to Obtain Syria Seat at WHO

Nidal Hamadeh - Paris

Since the beginning of the Syrian crisis, Qatar and France have agreed to work hand in hand at the international instances as well as on the ground in Syria to oust President Bashar Assad, after the experience of their coalition in Libya allowed a western military intervention that overthrew the regime of Moammar Gadhafi and killed the dictator in his very hometown Sirte, east Libya.
In Syria, France and Qatar tried to do the same as in Libya. But this time, the international juncture halted their action, which could not be completed as swiftly as in Libya, because of the double Russia and China's veto, noting that Syria also has many regional allies, unlike Gadhafi.
The two countries led a war on Syria at the Arab League through Qatar, under its periodic presidency of the 22-nation group, and through France, which submitted more than a draft resolution to the Security Council, where Russia's flat rejection to repeat the Libyan experience in Syria foiled the French bids.

Within this context, informed sources in Paris told al-Ahed news site that France and Qatar sought to grant the Syrian Opposition Coalition Syria's seat at the World Health Organization. Diplomatic sources confirmed that France took charge of talking Francophone states members at the WHO into accepting this plan, while the organization's Islamic states were left to Qatar to deal with.

The sources added that both countries had pledged to pay off the pending debts for next year's budget, with Qatar offering money to some influential personalities from impoverished countries!

Source: al-Ahed news, translated and edited by moqawama.org