Damascus (AP): Arab nations have opened their annual summit here, even though the leaders of top U.S. allies in the region are boycotting the gathering to protest Syria's hard-line stances in nearly every crisis in the Mideast.

Saturday's opening session comes amid anger among pro-U.S. Arab countries over what they say is Syria's obstruction of the election of a new president in Lebanon. They are also worried about Damascus' close alliance with Iran and the Hamas and Hezbollah militant groups.

Ten of the Arab League's 22 heads of state are absent from the summit. Egypt, Saudi Arabia and Jordan are represented by low-level officials in a snub to Syria.