Saudi Arabia: Assad cannot stay in power
Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister Adel Al-Jubeir (left) in New York with US secretary of state John Kerry. Photograph: Craig Ruttle/AP |
September 29, 2015
Saudi Arabia has called on Bashar al-Assad to give up power or be removed by force.
The threat was made on Tuesday by Saudi Arabia’s foreign minister, Adel Al-Jubeir.
“There is no future for Assad in Syria,” Jubeir told journalists at the UN general assembly. “There are two options for a settlement in Syria. One option is a political process where there would be a transitional council. The other option is a military option, which also would end with the removal of Bashar al-Assad from power.”
“This could be a more lengthy process and a more destructive process but the choice is entirely that of Bashar al-Assad.”
The foreign minister did not specify how Assad would be forcibly removed, but pointed out that Saudi Arabia is already backing “moderate rebels” in the civil war.
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