SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal tells Arab summit in Riyadh the scale of violence in Syria has made the possibility of negotiating with President Bashar al-Assad inconceivable
Record ID:
189101
SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal tells Arab summit in Riyadh the scale of violence in Syria has made the possibility of negotiating with President Bashar al-Assad inconceivable
- Title: SAUDI ARABIA: Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal tells Arab summit in Riyadh the scale of violence in Syria has made the possibility of negotiating with President Bashar al-Assad inconceivable
- Date: 22nd January 2013
- Summary: RIYADH , SAUDI ARABIA (JANUARY 22, 2013) (REUTERS) ARAB LEADERS ENTERING SUMMIT HALL ROYAL GUARD WATCHING ON WIDE OF CONFERENCE VARIOUS OF SAUDI CROWN PRINCE SALMAN BIN ABDULAZIZ SEATED AND ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL NABIL AL-ARABI SPEAKING LOGO OF ARAB ECONOMIC SUMMIT AND FLAGS OF ARAB COUNTRIES SAUDI FOREIGN MINSTER PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL LISTENING PRESIDENT OF SUDAN SEATED YEMENI PRESIDENT SEATED PALESTINIAN PRESIDENT SEATED ALGERIAN NATIONAL ASSEMBLY SPEAKER EGYPTIAN FOREIGN MINSTER REPORTERS LEAVING SUMMIT HALL SAUDI FOREIGN MINISTER, FINANCE MINISTER AND ARAB LEAGUE SECRETARY GENERAL SEATED FOR NEWS CONFERENCE CONFERENCE TAKING PLACE (SOUNDBITE) (English) IBRAHIM AL-ASSAF, SAUDI FINANCE MINSTER, SAYING: "We have the depth and ability to continue this level of spending. As you know, we have built reserves, as well as reducing our debt stock by almost to zero. So we can continue over the medium term and I believe even beyond that." LOGO OF THE SUMMIT (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL,SAUDI FOREIGN MINSTER,SAYING: "Damascus, which is the oldest remaining city that has been a city for the oldest period of time, is carpet bombed. How can you conceive of the possibility of negotiated settlement with somebody who does that to his own country, to his own history, to his own people? It is inconceivable to us." REPORTERS MESSAGING ON MOBILE PHONES (SOUNDBITE) (English) PRINCE SAUD AL-FAISAL,SAUDI FOREIGN MINSTER,SAYING: "We have a call to make to the Security Council to finally show the responsibility that they must show in front of the trust that was put in him, or otherwise I think it is the duty of the General Assembly to censure the Security Council for failing in its duty." CONFERENCE AL FAISAL THANKING REPORTERS AND LEAVING THE CONFERENCE HALL.
- Embargoed: 6th February 2013 12:00
- Keywords:
- Location: Saudi Arabia
- Country: Saudi Arabia
- Topics: Conflict,International Relations,Politics
- Reuters ID: LVA7Y2HE0QRV5NM7F1BTPRUTGBPG
- Story Text: Saudi Arabia's foreign minister said on Tuesday (January 22) the scale of violence used by Syria's government when fighting rebels meant a negotiated settlement of the country's crisis was unthinkable.
"Damascus, which is the oldest remaining city that has been a city for the oldest period of time, is carpet bombed. How can you conceive of the possibility of negotiated settlement with somebody who does that to his own country, to his own history, to his own people? It is inconceivable to us," Prince Saud al-Faisal told a news conference.
He was speaking after an Arab summit focusing on economic development, which was not attended by Syria.
Sunni Muslim power Saudi Arabia, the world's top oil exporter, has led Arab efforts to isolate the government of President Bashar al-Assad, which is allied to Saudi Arabia's main regional rival - Shi'ite Muslim Iran.
More than 60,000 Syrians have been killed and another 650,000 have become refugees abroad during the rebellion, which began in March 2011, the United Nations has said.
Last year Prince Saud said the rebels should be armed. However, Syria's opposition has failed to form a unified transitional government to run areas it holds, underscoring international concerns the conflict may allow radical Islamist groups to gain ground.
Prince Saud said the United Nations Security Council needed to take urgent action to end the crisis.
"We have a call to make to the Security Council to finally show the responsibility that they must show in front of the trust that was put in him, or otherwise I think it is the duty of the General Assembly to censure the Security Council for failing in its duty," he said.
Permanent Security Council members Russia and China have so far resisted calls to isolate Assad further.
The Saudi financial minister also spoke at the summit, insisting the country's current spending levels are sustainable.
"We have the depth and ability to continue this level of spending. As you know, we have built reserves, as well as reducing our debt stock by almost to zero. So we can continue over the medium term and I believe even beyond that," said Saudi Finance Minister Ibrahim Al-Assaf.
Riyadh has been boosting spending recently on welfare and housing construction partly as a reaction to unrest in the Arab world in order to ease domestic political tensions. .
It also wants to diversify the economy away from heavy dependence on oil, in case of a future plunge in global oil prices.
The world's No.1 oil exporter has set state budget expenditure of 820 billion riyals ($219 billion) for 2013, 19 percent higher than the amount initially budgeted for 2012.
It is slightly below the record estimated 853 billion riyals that the government actually spent in 2012, but analysts have said actual spending is set to continue climbing in 2013. - Copyright Holder: REUTERS
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