Saudi Arabia Warns of ‘Plan B’ for Syria

Local Editor

While the world powers that gathered in Vienna on Tuesday to discuss the Syrian peace process stressed that all parties to the conflict should make peace a priority, Saudi Arabia's foreign minister warned that time may be coming for "Plan B" in Syria.

"It was made clear that Bashar al-Assad has two choices - either he will be removed through political process or he will be removed by force," Adel al-Jubeir told reporters after the International Syria Support Group [ISSG] meeting co-chaired by Russia and the US.

"We believe we should have moved to a ‘Plan B' a long time ago," he said.

The Saudis are among the most aggressive supporters of removing al-Assad from power and are the staunchest backers of militant groups trying to overthrow the Syrian government.

"If they do not respond to the treaties of the international community... then we will have to see what else can be done," al-Jubeir added.

The latest round of UN-brokered indirect talks, which began in Geneva, Switzerland, on April 13, were brought to a halt after the Saudi-backed main opposition group, the High Negotiation Committee [HNC], walked out of the discussions and declared a "new war" against the Syrian government.

The 17-nation ISSG talks were aimed at discussing the stalled negotiations, challenges in maintaining a shaky February ceasefire, and the delivery of UN humanitarian aid to various areas across the war-ravaged country.

Following the Tuesday talks, the ISSG released a statement calling on the international community to prevent any material or financial support from reaching Daesh and Nusra Front and dissuade any party to the truce from cooperating with the terrorists.

UN special envoy for Syria Staffan de Mistura estimates that over 400,000 people had been killed in the conflict, which has also displaced over half of the Arab country's pre-war population of about 23 million.

Source: News Agencies, Edited by website team