The Saudi Foreign Ministry says the Security Council has allowed Assad's forces to continue killing Syrians without punishment.

Saudi Arabia has refused to accept its seat on the UN Security Council, saying the international body is incapable of resolving world

conflicts.

The snub came hours after the country, along with Chad and Nigeria, was elected to serve a two-year term on the Security Council as

human rights groups called for all three countries to improve their records.

It is the second time this month that Saudi Arabia has publicly expressed discontent over what it sees as the UN's failure to stop the

bloodshed in Syria.

In a statement, carried on state news agency SPA, the Saudi Foreign Ministry said the Council had allowed President Bashar al Assad's

regime to continue killing Syrians, including with chemical weapons, without punishment.

"The Kingdom sees that the method and work mechanism and the double standards in the Security Council prevent it from properly

shouldering its responsibilities towards world peace," it said.

Saudi Arabia also said the UN had not been able to end more than four decades of Palestinian-Israeli conflict, and had failed to transform the

Middle East into an area free of weapons of mass destruction.

It said it was unable to take its seat until reforms were introduced, but did not specify what changes it wanted.

The Security Council has been split on how to handle the civil war in Syria, with Western leaders pushing for stronger sanctions against Mr

Assad and Russia vetoing the demands.

Saudi Arabia has backed the rebels in the conflict, which has seen at least 100,000 people killed.

The Saudis, along with other Arab states, have criticised the US for blocking international action to end the Israeli occupation of Palestinian

lands seized in the 1967 Middle East war.

Earlier this month, the Minister of Foreign Affairs for Saudi Arabia, Prince Saud al Faisal, cancelled a speech at the UN General Assembly in

frustration over international inaction on Syria and the Palestinian issue, a diplomatic source said.

Saudi Arabia has long been criticised by rights groups.

In its 2013 report on the country, Amnesty International said authorities "severely restricted" freedoms of expression, political activists were

detained without trial and migrant workers were exploited and abused.

Sometimes, it baffles one to think these are leaders of a nation. Why do you think one should be part of UN? To aid solutions to economic problems and foster development across the world, not keeping malice.

emmanuelson20: Sometimes, it baffles one to think these are leaders of a nation. Why do you think one should be part of UN? To aid solutions to economic problems and foster development across the world, not keeping malice.

You are right.

Rejecting UN's Security Council Seat, does it solve anything? I guess NOT!

Ok

naijasofamerica: Rejecting UN's Security Council Seat, does it solve anything? I guess NOT!

Neither does accepting it - from what I understand in the write up.

Other countries are rejecting this offer, which means they were not contacted before the list was compiled. Our own president is parading himself as the champion who fought for and got the offer to be on this list. Hopeless country with hopeless leadership.

nagoma: Other countries are rejecting this offer, which means they were not contacted before the list was compiled. Our own president is parading himself as the champion who fought for and got the offer to be on this list. Hopeless country with hopeless leadership.

Can you suggest a way out?