Russia's Lavrov Begins Gulf Talks with Syria Focus
Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov arrived in Riyadh for talks with his Arab counterparts in the Gulf on Wednesday that are expected to highlight differences on the conflict in Syria.
Lavrov began his visit by meeting with Saudi Foreign Minister Saud al-Faisal, an AFP correspondent reported.
The Russian envoy is expected to meet later with the foreign ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council, which groups Saudi Arabia with Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates.
The GCC was the first to recognize the new National Coalition formed last Sunday by factions opposed to President Bashar Assad, whose country is a longtime ally of Moscow.
In contrast, Russian Prime Minister Dmitry Medvedev on Wednesday criticized countries siding with the Syrian opposition and insisted Moscow was staying neutral in the conflict.
"We don't support anybody in this conflict, neither President Assad nor the rebels, contrary to what people generally think," Medvedev said in an interview with Finnish broadsheet Helsingin Sanomat.
"But unfortunately, the point of view of some states is more one-sided. One side (the government) has to leave immediately and the other (the opposition) has to be supplied with weapons. This is wrong in my opinion," he said.
The GCC has supported the anti-regime revolt in Syria that broke out in March 2011 and has cost tens of thousands of lives.
Source: Agence France Presse
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