Tunis: The Saudi Foreign Minister says arming the rebels fighting the brutal regime of President Bashar Assad is "an excellent idea”.
Foreign Minister Prince Saud al-Faisal went further than any of the other Friends of Syria nations meeting in Tunis on Friday to increase pressure on Assad to call for a ceasefire, step down and allow humanitarian aid to flow to hard-hit areas.
Asked at the start of a meeting with US Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton if he thought arming the Syrian opposition was a good idea, al-Faisal said: "I think it's an excellent idea”. Asked why, he said, "Because they have to protect themselves."
The group is demanding that Assad step down or face as-yet undefined punishments.
Bureau Report
First Published: Saturday, February 25, 2012, 11:48