Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal on 25 May said Syrian President Bashar Assad and his regime should have no role in the proposed peace talks aimed at ending that country’s deadly conflict. Prince Saud said he hoped that the conference, which is proposed to take place in Geneva, would lead to an “immediate cease-fire and meet the aspirations of the Syrian people to achieve a peaceful transfer of power”.
“We support the will of the Syrian people, which has expressed its will clearly, saying it does not wish to see any role in the conference for Bashar Assad, or any of those whose hands are stained with Syrian blood,” he told reporters in Jeddah. He urged the international community to empower Syrian citizens to defend themselves against the brutality of the Syrian regime. He also emphasised the international community’s obligation to work on ensuring the safe transfer of power in Syria, stressing the legitimacy of the Syrian opposition.