Saudi Arabia Rejects Russian Calls to Work with Assad against IS
Saudi Arabia's foreign minister on Tuesday poured cold water on Russian calls to join forces with the Syrian authorities against Islamic State jihadists, insisting it would never work with President Bashar Assad.
Moscow -- one of Assad's few remaining allies -- has called for coordination between the Syrian government and members of an international coalition fighting the extremist group, which controls swathes of territory in Syria and Iraq.
But Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir insisted there would be no cooperation with the Syrian regime after meeting Russian counterpart Sergei Lavrov in Moscow.
"As for a coalition in which Saudi Arabia would participate with the government of Syria, then we need to exclude that. It is not part of our plans," Jubeir said in comments translated into Russian.
"Our position has not changed... there is no place for Assad in the future of Syria," Jubeir said.
"We think that Bashar Assad is part of the problem, not part of the solution."
Saudi Arabia is part of a U.S.-led coalition that began an air campaign against IS in Syria last September.
Russia supports Assad while Saudi Arabia insists he must step down to help end a four-year conflict that has cost over 240,000 lives.
The two ministers last met in Qatar on August 3 when Lavrov, Jubeir and U.S. Secretary of State John Kerry held a three-way meeting, with Syria topping the agenda.
Lavrov said Moscow was not looking to establish a formal alliance against the radical group but warned a failure to cooperate could open the door to extremists.
Russia wanted "all those who are already fighting terrorists to somehow coordinate so that they focus on their main task -- to fight the threat of terrorism," Lavrov said.
He admitted that there remained "persistent differences" between Riyadh and Moscow over how to tackle the Syrian conflict.
"The exit of President Assad is part of these differences," Lavrov said.
Russia is trying to bolster its claims to act as a mediator in the Syrian crisis and is set to host a raft of opposition leaders and negotiators on the crisis.
Both Jabeir and Lavrov called for a fresh push to unite Syria's fragmented opposition in a bid to reinvigorate efforts to find a political settlement to the crisis.
Syria's opposition National Coalition is set to visit the Russian capital this week along with a second opposition group.
The leader of the Kurdish Syrian Democratic Union Party (PYD) is also expected, Lavrov said, as is the deputy of the United Nation's envoy on Syria Staffan de Mistura.
over 9 years
that same old propaganda line, so because they weren't at war they were "guard dogs"? is north korea also a guard dog of south korea because the border is calm? or is it the opposite? maybe israel was the guard dog of syria? lots of combination we can play with, for retards like you to find "hilarious"
just one thing though, was arming hezbollah, supporting it and enabling hezbollah to kick israelis out of lebanon, also part of their duties as "guard dogs"?
as for your voluntary blindness on the intensity of the conflict between isis and the syrian legitimate forces, there's nothing i can do for you, you simply refuse to see it no matter how many times i point out the numerous battles and countless casualties that resulted. stick to your ostrich policy for all i care, it suits you.
over 9 years
If the Saudis were so serious about confronting ISIS, then how come they used all their forces and power to attack the Yemeni people instead?
over 9 years
100% mystic, it's just like turkey, who pretend to be fighting isis when all they hit are the kurds, actually clearing the way for isis
over 9 years
congrats ex-eagle-ice-fpm, you went from simple copy-pasting of other people's comments to a medley of other people's comments. you still have to work on making it sound coherent, but it seems like there is at least some progress.
over 9 years
do you really think i care if you can or can't take it terrorist?
over 9 years
What kind of excuse is that texas? You use to be much better at making up theories.
Yes texas, the wahabis (The Gulf) decided to strengthen ISIS to weaken Iran and Assad, that is the way it works because nobody smashes ISIS harder than the Resistance and the Syrian army.
Fact is gentlemen, that Saudi Arabia would rather want all of Syria Iraq and Lebanon to become part of ISIS, just to weaken Iran.
That was their plan all along, same with the funding of Al Qaeda.
over 9 years
Even the kurds now, they have been fighting ISIS for a long time.
What does Erdogan do?
He bombs the kurds because he fears the forming of their Kurdistan, even more than the so called "Islamic State".
over 9 years
mowaten you seem tense and angry;) take easy on yourself!
over 9 years
Audobillah, are you playing God since you know whos days are numbered little terrorist?
over 9 years
Don't play so rough terrorist, norma.jean/eagledawn likes you cute and tender.
over 9 years
gee eagle... you sound pretty desperate with that all-out trolling, squealing erratically all over the forum... does it mean i slapped too hard today?
over 9 years
lol you really live in lalaland anonyme.
over 9 years
sadly, the worst enemy is the one within. you can try to reason with them, but those iranian slaves like mowaten have no will of their own. they turn down any chance of unity because they can only see short-term, untill the next iranian paycheck. they'd sell the country's past and future for a few bucks, actually they already have.
over 9 years
lol @mowaten, you keep hallucinating, imagining stuff and spinning that invisible "saudi menace" so much you've lost touch with reality. are you not seeing what is going on in yemen, syria, and iraq?
lately you have been very angry and frustrated mowaten and certainly you are projecting a lot. Is it because you are jealous of KSA achievements and success? Take your pills filthy delusional sectarian troll.
over 9 years
saudis are done. by shooting down oil prices they shot themselves in the foot. oil prices will never recover, and their budget deficits will keep growing each year. projections show they only have a few years left before they reach insolvency
over 9 years
lol at you and your projections;)
over 9 years
"_mowaten_
les chiens aboient, l'armee syrienne passe"
جنود “الأسد” يهربون من معركة سهل الغاب وضابطهم يهددهم
شاهد جنود الاسد كيف يهربون امام جيش الفتح وكيف ضباطهم ياخذون منهم الاسلحة
https://www.youtube.com/watch?v=xVNhVytzw_4
over 9 years
their adventures are merely acts of desperation, they dont even know where they're going with it, they just twisting and fretting like a fish out of water
over 9 years
Those saudi oil resources aint gonna last forever texas.
over 9 years
Difference between Iran and Saudi Arabia on that subject is, that Iran does not rely entirely on their oil production as Saudi Arabia does, yes you are right they have alot more oil that Iran, but without that oil Saudi Arabia is lost.
Iran produces their own hardware & weapons, their own agriculture everything they want can be made locally.
Whilst Saudi Arabia relies on their oil for profit amongst the Saud family and to buy all foreign supplies they can, that oil is what keeps them going.
over 9 years
That is what you Mostaqbalis keeps telling yourself everyday.
Assad is still very much alive, and he is still sitting comfortable on his chair.
All we have left, are you wahabis crying about it all day and prolonge the war.
over 9 years
Call it what you wish, the fact remains. You assumed he would be gone within a month, 4 years have passed texas.
You better change your tone soon, before you embarrass yourself further.
over 9 years
is that a martyred iranian jihadi terrorist family in your avatar?
Saudi Arabia is the major part of the problem in Syria.