Clinton Talks Syrian Diplomacy with Saudi Officials
March 30, 2012
In this photo released by Saudi Press Agency, King Abdullah of Saudi Arabia, right, meets with Secretary of State Hillary Rodham Clinton, 3rd left, in Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, Friday, March 30, 2012.
U.S. Secretary of State Hillary Clinton has begun talks with Saudi officials in Riyadh to examine ways of ending the ongoing bloodshed in Syria.
Clinton's two-day visit to the Saudi capital is aimed at forging a consensus between the U.S. and Arab Gulf states on how to deal with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's deadly crackdown on dissent.
Saudi state television reports showed Clinton meeting King Abdullah and several top Saudi officials.
Saudi Arabia fears the Syrian unrest could destabilize the region if it continues much longer and supports arming the country's opposition, a move the U.S. has not publicly endorsed.
According to Dubai-based political analyst Abdullah Abdulkhaleq, the issue of adding more arms to the conflict will be a major sticking point during Clinton's visit.
"There is a divide," said Abdulkhaleq. "The GCC (Gulf Cooperation Council) is ready to do everything possible to stop the killing in Syria, but we see that Washington is still a bit hesitant."
The Obama administration believes arming Syrian rebels would likely lead to civil war and also fears the weapons could fall into the hands of Islamic extremists.
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