Saudi Says it's Time Russia Changed Stance on Syria
Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal said Tuesday that it is time for Russia to change its stance on Syria and work to ensure a peaceful transfer of power.
"The time has come for Russia to change its stance from supporting the Syrian regime to working to stop the killing and (supporting) a peaceful transition of power," Prince Saud told reporters after a Gulf Cooperation Council meeting in Jeddah.
Such a policy change, he said, would "preserve (Russia's) interests in Syria and the Arab world," adding that he "hoped Russia would re-evaluate its policies in the region, especially with regard to Syria."
Otherwise, "Moscow would lose a lot (of credibility) among the Arabs," he said.
Russia has repeatedly blocked attempts by the U.N. Security Council to pass resolutions condemning President Bashar al-Assad's regime and its deadly crackdown on dissent, actions Prince Saud said were "unjustifiable."
The minister's comments came in response to a question by Agance France Press about remarks made by Russian Deputy Foreign Minister Gennady Gatilov, who said Moscow was prepared to see Assad leave power in a negotiated settlement.
Gatilov said that Russia had "never said or insisted that Assad necessarily had to remain in power at the end of the political process," aimed at ending 15 months of violence that has killed more than 13,500 people.
He said Russia would back any peaceful settlement to the crisis as long as it did not involve the use of outside force, he told the news agency Tuesday, a day after meeting U.N.-Arab League peace envoy Kofi Annan in Geneva.
Addressing ministers at the start of Tuesday's GCC meeting, Prince Saud urged Gulf monarchies "to use their resources to... enable the Syrian people to defend themselves against the murderous and destructive machine of the government."
He did not elaborate but both Saudi Arabia and Qatar have previously called for the arming of the Syrian rebels.
"The killing and torture of civilians has continued," said Prince Saud, adding that the GCC must find a "quick solution to this crisis."
The pro-Damascus government daily Al-Watan accused Saudi authorities on Monday of "plotting" against Syria and of turning Lebanon into a springboard for attacking the country.
The newspaper accused the Saudi foreign minister personally of "sending arms to fighters and mercenaries they are financing in north Lebanon," where weekend clashes between pro- and anti- Damascus factions left 14 people dead.
Source: Agence France Presse
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