Highlighting that the world is still failing to secure international protection for the Syrian people, the United States of America and Saudi Arabia today met at Washington DC and affirmed collaboration to address the crisis in Syria.
In his remarks with Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal after their meeting, US Secretary of State John Kerry says he joined His Royal Highness in making clear that the Syrian crisis has been made worse.
He says the situation has been made far more difficult and complicated by Assad’s invitation to Iran and to Hezbollah, Iran’s surrogate, to cross international lines and to become engaged on the ground in Syria.
“It is the Assad regime that has internationalized the violence on the ground in the worst of ways.” – Secretary Kerry
Secretary Kerry says what started as small and peaceful demonstrations has grown and because of the Assad regime’s decision, has been internationalized.
He also expresses appreciation for Saudi Arabia’s leadership within the region, within the Arab League, in efforts to try to help the US government to find a political solution.
The US and Saudi Arabia believe a political solution can solve the crisis
According to Secretary Kerry, both the US and Saudi Arabia believe that the best solution is a political solution in which the people of Syria have an opportunity to be able to make a choice about their future.
In addition, both countries believe that every minority can be respected, that there could be diversity and pluralism, and that people could do so in a climate of peace in the absence of oppression and violence or the involvement of foreign fighters.
He highlighted that providing the Assad regime is prepared to live by the framework that was created in the Geneva communique for a transition government with full executive powers chosen by mutual consent of all the parties, it really has the best chance of bringing about peace in Syria.
Moreover, the two countries continue to believe, as His Royal Highness referred to, that the Geneva 2 agreement offers the best opportunity to be able to try to bring that about.
And as countries like the United States and Saudi Arabia aid the opposition, both do so with the belief that it is done in the effort to try to bring people to the decision to go to Geneva and respect the Geneva 1 communique.
Earlier this week, countries agreed in Doha to do more to aid the opposition in order to help bring that about.
The President of the United States has made the decision to do more, and Secretary Kerry met with His Royal Highness the Foreign Minister in order to understand better what Saudi Arabia will be doing, what the countries in the region will be doing.
In addition, the meeting is timely enough for countries to coordinate those efforts in the best way to bring about the solution that all hope for.
The United States and Saudi Arabia have enjoyed full diplomatic relations since 1933.
