Saudi's foreign minister said on Thursday that embattled Syrian President Bashar al-Assad clinging in power is working as a “magnet” by allowing foreign militants to recruit more fighters, and he must go to rid Syria of ISIS.
Adel Jubeir reiterated Riyadh’s stance after President Assad met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday in his first foreign visit since 2011.
After the visit, Putin also spoke with Saudi King Salman to discuss Syria.
Jubeir said Riyadh believes in Syrian “unity” and to keep its government institutions intact.
He also urged for a “peaceful” solution as soon as possible, and urged for the implementation of Geneva I peace communique.
The Geneva talks - last held in January last year - marked the first time Syria’s warring sides had sat down together since the war began in 2011. They revolved around the so-called Geneva I communique, drawn up by an international conference in 2012 in the Swiss city.
While the communique does not mention Assad’s role in Syria, Assad’s government grudgingly accepted the principles of the communique as it endorses political transition.
But Jubeir said Iran is part of the problem and should not be part of the solution in Syria.
Adel Jubeir reiterated Riyadh’s stance after President Assad met with Russian President Vladimir Putin in Moscow on Wednesday in his first foreign visit since 2011.
After the visit, Putin also spoke with Saudi King Salman to discuss Syria.
Jubeir said Riyadh believes in Syrian “unity” and to keep its government institutions intact.
He also urged for a “peaceful” solution as soon as possible, and urged for the implementation of Geneva I peace communique.
The Geneva talks - last held in January last year - marked the first time Syria’s warring sides had sat down together since the war began in 2011. They revolved around the so-called Geneva I communique, drawn up by an international conference in 2012 in the Swiss city.
While the communique does not mention Assad’s role in Syria, Assad’s government grudgingly accepted the principles of the communique as it endorses political transition.
- Meanwhile, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said on Thursday Iran, Egypt, Jordan, Qatar, and the United Arab Emirates should be part of talks to solve the crisis in Syria, Russian news agencies reported.
- Lavrov also said Russia does not see the point in providing external support for Syria without Iran’s participation.
But Jubeir said Iran is part of the problem and should not be part of the solution in Syria.
Saudi foreign minister says Russian actions in Syria "very dangerous"...
ReplyDeleteRussia's actions in Syria are fuelling the country's war, which can only be ended with an unconditional exit of President Bashar al-Assad, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said ahead of a meeting with his U.S., Russian and Turkish counterparts.
"We believe that the Russian interference in Syria is very dangerous because it exacerbates the conflict," Jubeir told reporters in Vienna, adding the Saudis had made this clear to the Russians..............http://www.todayonline.com/world/saudi-foreign-minister-says-russian-actions-syria-very-dangerous
Russia to hold key Syria talks with US, Saudi Arabia and Turkey...
ReplyDeleteThe top diplomats from Russia, the United States, Saudi Arabia and Turkey will hold talks on the war in Syria Friday, after Moscow thrust itself into the heart of the conflict with its bombing campaign in support of President Bashar al-Assad.
The envoys from Washington, Riyadh and Ankara -- all of which back groups battling against Assad -- will look to sound out Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Vienna after the embattled Syrian strongman made a surprise visit to Moscow to meet President Vladimir Putin this week.
On September 30 Russia launched air strikes in Syria which have shifted the dynamics of the brutal four-and-a-half year war -- allowing Assad's battle-weary forces to go on the offensive and overshadowing a US-led coalition bombing the Islamic State (IS) group.
The US and its regional allies have decried Russia's strikes, insisting Moscow is not mainly targeting Islamic State as it claims, but other groups battling the regime in Damascus, and that the Kremlin's intervention will only prolong the fighting.
Ahead of the talks in the Austrian capital, Assad's fate remains a major a stumbling block and, after years of failure to stop the bloodshed in Syria, there was scant hope of any major breakthrough.....AFP...........ahram.org.eg
23/10/15