₦airaland Forum

Syrian leader Bashar al-Assad must leave office or face being turfed out by force, Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubeir said, rejecting Russia’s bid to build support for its ally.

Speaking in New York after meeting Saudi Arabia’s allies, Jubeir on Tuesday dismissed Russia’s call for a coalition to defend Assad against the Islamic State group as a “non-starter.”

He warned that other countries would step up support for rebels from Syria’s moderate opposition, leaving Assad with no choice but to step down or face what he called the “military option.”

And he scorned Iran’s involvement in Russia’s putative alliance, describing Tehran as an “occupying power” in Syria and accusing it of fomenting terrorism and extremism across the region.

“There is no future for Assad in Syria, with all due respect to the Russians or anyone else,” Jubeir told reporters in New York after meetings with Saudi Arabia’s allies.

He spoke of only two possible outcomes for a settlement in Syria, saying a transitional council reached through a political process would be the “preferred option.”

A second, military option “could be a more lengthy process and a more destructive process, but the choice is entirely that of Bashar al-Assad,” the Saudi foreign minister said.

Jubeir would not be drawn on specifics of what the military option would look like, but noted that Saudi Arabia is already supporting “moderate rebels” in their battle against Assad.

“Whatever we may or may not do we’re not talking about,” he said, but quickly added: “There is a Free Syrian Army that is fighting against Bashar al-Assad.

“There is a moderate Syrian opposition that is fighting against Bashar al-Assad and this opposition is getting support from a number of countries,” he noted.

“And we expect that this support will continue and intensify.”

Jubeir said the best solution would be for Assad to accept the principles of the Geneva I agreement signed at a peace conference in 2012, laying the groundwork for a transitional government.

Saudi king is a king for life but want Assad out because of his Shiite belief and his relation to Saudi's arch-enemy Iran which is also Shiite country.

For Saudis, it all about religious war which Sunnis: including ISIS must win.

Charity begins at home. Saudi King must go or face military overthrow

yemaldo:
Saudi is us puppet

NaijaTalkTown:
Militarily, Saudi Arabia is weak when compared to Iran, to talk less of Russia. No country has the right to make decisions for other countries and Syria is not an exception. As long as Russian interest is concerned, Assad must remain and he will remain. Say no to Iraqanization and Libyanization and destabilization of the Middle East and North Africa.

He warned that other countries would step up support for rebels from Syria’s moderate opposition, leaving Assad with no choice but to step down or face what he called the “military option.”

jpphilips:
You seriously think that statement was made by Saudi Arabia? NATO just spoke through Saudi Arabia, when the article said they agreed after a meeting, you should be worried more whom the Saudi authorities met with.

TheFreeOne:
First, they continue their policy of expanding NATO. What for? If the Warsaw Bloc stopped its existence, the Soviet Union have collapsed (ph) and, nevertheless, the NATO continues expanding as well as its military infrastructure. Then they offered the poor Soviet countries a false choice: either to be with the West or with the East. Sooner or later, this logic of confrontation was bound to spark off a grave geopolitical crisis. This is exactly what happened in Ukraine, where the discontent of population with the current authorities was used and the military coup was orchestrated from outside — that triggered a civil war as a result.

Putin - @ UN 2015

, Even Putin fear NATO let alone Assad, I dey laugh!!

jpphilips:
, Even Putin fear NATO let alone Assad, I dey laugh!!

TheFreeOne:
It's not about fear but warning to US and her allies to thread carefully cos Assad has the backing of RUSSIA/IRAN.

Anyone can deduce that from Putin speech at the UN.

jpphilips:
You think so? well, I dont, Russia does not warn the US, he has sent his hardwares and fighters to help Assad already, so what is the warning for?
Like I said, Russia knows that NATO is no child's play, Iran is not a force to recon with either, Israel can kick their butts anyday anytime.
A coalition of Arab league against Assad will be devastating, it is a coalition of Israel, Turkey, Egypt, Saudi Arabia and others then NATO as their foreign backing to put Russia on a tight leash, pray the republicans don't win the presidency else, Assad will have "WAS" attached to all his Eulogies.
Just wait till after the elections, what people like you don't seem to understand is that Assad's refugees never made it to Russia, while Russia is busy backing Assad sheepishly, his refugees continue to overwhelm NATO members that will not continue beyond 2016.
Those refugees must return and that wont happen if Assad remains in power, Russia has already read the hand writting on the wall and has started rapid mobilization of hard wares to Syria.

CyberWolf:
And we are still looking for who is funding ISIS? Isn't it obvious that Saudi Arabia and America created ISIS to frustrate Assad when his(Obama) plan to invade Syria in 2013 was foiled by Russia and China?