Author: Viktor Mikhin
Saudi Arabia is at a Dangerous Crossroads
Ambivalence, political twists and turns and the adoption of mutually exclusive decisions on Syria clearly show how completely lost the Saudi leaders are and their distinct lack of understanding of the fundamentals of modern foreign policy. The leaders of the wealthiest countries in the world, the leaders of the Arab and Muslim world have fully displayed their political inadequacy, inability to manoeuvre and adapt to the realities of the modern world. The once infinite riches are melting away rapidly, and soon ordinary Saudis will be faced with the issue of cost-cutting in their simple everyday problems.
But, as they say, all in good time. It seemed that only recently the Saudi press took after its main overseas sponsor and ally, the United States, which have put forward a plan of the “smooth transition” of power in Syria and did not call for the immediate resignation of President Bashar al-Assad. US Secretary of State John Kerry told CNN reporters that Washington had changed its position on Bashar al-Assad. The United States, according to The New York Times, have closed their largest training centres of so-called moderate Syrian rebels in Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Qatar and the UAE. Saudi rulers even responded positively to the position of German Chancellor Angela Merkel, who was also forced to be in favour of negotiations with the current Syrian president. In this regard, experts drew attention to the statement of Prince Turki al-Faisal, the former Saudi ambassador in Washington and former intelligence chief, who expressed his confidence that Moscow’s strategy on Syria seems to be more effective than the efforts of the United States, and that the Russian point of view demands attention and respect. However, Russia has never departed from its principled position and has consistently advocated peace talks with the legitimate President, al-Assad.
At the same time, according to the presidential press secretary, Dmitry Peskov, the visit of the King of Saudi Arabia, Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud to Russia is being worked out and agreed through diplomatic channels. Such a possibility is being worked out by way of diplomatic channels, and after all the necessary terms and conditions are agreed, Saudi Arabia and representatives of the Russian government will make a joint announcement. It is quite clear that at the talks in Moscow, if they do take place, a certain compromise on the Syrian issue will be found.
