Saudi position towards Assad is ‘unchangeable’

Saudi Arabia’s position towards Syrian regime President Bashar Al-Assad is “unchangeable”, AlKhaleejOnline.com reported the Saudi foreign minister saying yesterday.

Speaking at a press conference in Paris with his French counterpart Jean-Marc Ayrault, Adel Al-Jubeir said that Al-Assad must quit “forcefully of peacefully” as part of any prospective solution for the war-torn country.

Saudi Deputy Crown Prince Mohamed Bin Salman started a visit to Paris on Monday. He separately met with the French president and French foreign minister.

Meanwhile, during the same press conference, Al-Jubeir reiterated that the Arab Peace Initiative is not still “active” and it is the only Arab plan for peace.

He also accused Hezbollah, supported by Iran, of causing a political vacuum in Lebanon. “The entire world knows that Iran supports terrorists and is trying to destabilise the region,” he said, calling on Iran to commit to good neighbourly values and give up attempts to export its revolution.

The French foreign minister revealed a prospective meeting for the US-led international coalition against Daesh next month.

He noted that the only way to remove Al-Assad is through a political solution in the country, calling for Russia to put more pressure on him.

He also said that he is planning to visit Lebanon to help find a political solution for the presidential crisis.