Kuwait's parliament adopted on Thursday a non-binding resolution calling on the government to arm the Syrian opposition and to sever diplomatic ties with Damascus.

The vote came following an emergency session to debate developments in Syria, where thousands of people have been killed in a bloody crackdown by the regime of President Bashar al-Assad on pro-democracy protests.

The resolution called on the oil-rich Gulf state to "support the Free (Syrian) Army with weapons."

The government did not object to the recommendations and said it will study them before taking a final decision.

Parliament also urged the government to join international efforts to refer the Syrian president to the International Criminal Court as a war criminal.

On Wednesday, MPs passed a resolution calling on the government to recognise the opposition Syrian National Council as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people.