Saudi: Assad 'Maneuvering' to Gain Time

Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal accused Syria's President Bashar Assad of "maneuvering" to gain time, at a joint news conference Sunday with U.N. chief Ban Ki-moon.

"Every initiative has been accepted by the Syrian regime and was not implemented. This is a way used by the regime to gain time," Prince Saud told reporters in the Red Sea city of Jeddah.

"He is playing for time and maneuvering," he said referring to Assad.

The Saudi minister's remarks came immediately after Assad said Sunday that his government is faced with a foreign plot to destroy Syria.

Arab leaders on Saturday called on the United Nations to act to stop bloodshed that has persisted for nearly 15 months despite a U.N.-backed peace plan that includes the deployment of nearly 300 observers.

The plan was drawn up by U.N.-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan, who on Saturday singled out Assad and his regime as the key to resolving the conflict as he warned of the specter of all-out sectarian warfare.

Annan "will present his report (on Syria) in a few weeks... It must be clear, straightforward, precise and transparent," Prince Saud said. "We hope the United Nations takes a firm stance."

Since the so-called ceasefire began on April 12, as many as 2,300 people have been killed out of the more than 13,400 to have died in Syria since the uprising against Assad's regime began in March 2011.

The Saudi foreign minister, who has repeatedly voiced his country's support for arming Syria' rebels said: "We support creating a buffer zone in Syria which the oppressed can take refuge in... but this is the responsibility of the U.N. Security Council as the Arab League can't do this."

"The real solution belies in protecting the Syrian people from the harsh military," he said. "The people are unarmed whereas the regime receives weapons from several" countries.

"The situation is very dangerous. We hope things don't deteriorate further," he added.

Because of the worsening violence and Assad's failure to meet commitments under the agreed peace plan, the United States has warned that it may not agree to renew the U.N. observer mission when its mandate expires on July 20.