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Kerry Criticizes Iran and Russia for Shipping Arms to Syria Kerry Criticizes Iran and Russia for Shipping Arms to Syria
(about 9 hours later)
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Making a case for providing increased support to the Syrian opposition, Secretary of State John Kerry criticized Russia and Iran on Monday for continuing to ship arms to President Bashar al-Assad of Syria. RIYADH, Saudi Arabia — Secretary of State John Kerry said Monday that the Syrian opposition is capable of properly handling the military support it receives.
Mr. Kerry has sought to enlist Russia’s cooperation for a political solution to the war in Syria and met last week with Foreign Minister Sergey V. Lavrov. “There is no guarantee that one weapon or another might not at some point in time fall into the wrong hands,” Mr. Kerry said in a joint news conference in Riyadh with the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal. “But I will tell you this. There is a very clear ability now in the Syrian opposition to make certain that what goes to the moderate, legitimate opposition is, in fact, getting to them, and the indication is that they are increasing their pressure as a result of that.”
But Mr. Kerry said in Riyadh that Russia had continued to send weapons to forces loyal to Mr. Assad. Mr. Kerry’s comments follow a conference in Rome last week on the issue of building support for a coalition of opponents to the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad, which Mr. Kerry attended. He spoke to concerns that aid that was meant for the Western-backed group might be diverted into the hands of extremists.
“Believe me, the bad actors, regrettably, have no shortage of their ability to get arms — from Iran, from Hezbollah, from Russia, unfortunately,” Mr. Kerry said in a joint news conference with the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud al-Faisal. While President Obama has decided that the United States will not provide arms to the rebels, Mr. Kerry announced last week that it would send food and medical supplies to the armed wing of the Syrian opposition. The United States has also been training a select cadre of Syrian rebels in Jordan under a covert program run by the C.I.A., officials have said.
Mr. Kerry attended an international conference in Rome last week that was convened to show backing for the Syrian opposition.  The secretary of state appeared to welcome some outside efforts to provide military support to rebels in Syria, even though the Obama administration has decided not to send arms. Asked if there was a danger that arms sent by Saudi Arabia might fall into the wrong hands, Mr. Kerry said that it was important to put pressure on the Assad government. Other nations are also sending aid to the rebels. Britain is expected soon to announce a package of nonlethal military assistance, which could include items like bulletproof vests, vehicles and night-vision equipment. Saudi Arabia has been financing a large purchase of infantry weapons from Croatia and channeling them to fighters.
“There is no guarantee that one weapon or another might not, at some point in time, flow into the wrong hands,” he said. “But I will tell you this: there is a very clear ability now in the Syrian opposition to make certain that what goes to the moderate, legitimate opposition is in fact getting to them, and the indication is that they are increasing their pressure as a result of that.” The Saudi foreign minister, Prince Saud, made it clear on Monday that Saudi Arabia had every intention of continuing to provide support to the rebels, though he did not discuss specifics.
“Morally, we have a duty,” the Saudi foreign minister said, alluding to efforts to provide military support. “As for providing enough aid and security for the Syrians, Saudi Arabia will do everything within its capabilities to help in this,” he said. “Morally, we have a duty to protect them.”
He added that the Assad regime was firing missiles at population centers in Syria at times of the day when civilians were concentrated. “Nobody who has done that to his citizens can claim a right to lead a country,” he said. Prince Saud said that Mr. Assad’s military was purposely firing missiles at times of day when civilians might be gathering to receive food or medicine. “Nobody who has done that to his citizens can claim a right to lead a country,” he said.
While it has decided not to send arms, the Obama administration said that it would send food and medical supplies to the armed wing of the Syrian opposition. Britain is expected to soon announce a package of nonlethal military assistance, like vehicles. While relations between Mr. Kerry and Prince Saud seemed warm, the two diplomats did not discuss ways in which they might be coordinating efforts to aid the Syrian opposition, nor any differences over what to provide or to whom.
Mr. Kerry had a working lunch on Monday with Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, who was visiting Riyadh along with leaders from the Persian Gulf states. The meeting comes two weeks before President Obama and Mr. Kerry are planning to travel to Israel, Palestinian areas and Jordan to hear ideas for trying to revive the Middle East peace effort. Iran and Russia have backed the other side in the conflict, providing extensive aid to forces loyal to Mr. Assad, a fact that the American and Saudi diplomats highlighted on Monday.
On Iran, Mr. Kerry repeated the American refrain that time was running out for a diplomatic solution regarding Iran’s refusal to accept internationally verified limits on its nuclear program. He reiterated  the argument that allowing Iran to develop nuclear weapons would encourage nuclear proliferation and heighten tensions in the region. “Believe me, the bad actors, regrettably, have no shortage of their ability to get weapons from Iran, from Hezbollah, from Russia unfortunately, and that’s happening,” Mr. Kerry said.
“But talks will not go on for the sake of talks, and talks cannot become an instrument of delay that will make the situation more dangerous,” Mr. Kerry said. “So there is a finite amount of time.” He had a working lunch on Monday with Mahmoud Abbas, the president of the Palestinian Authority, who was visiting Riyadh. President Obama and Mr. Kerry are planning to travel to Israel, Palestinian areas and Jordan in two weeks to hear ideas for trying to revive the Middle East peace effort.
Saudi Arabia was the seventh stop on Mr. Kerry’s nine-nation tour. His next are the United Arab Emirates and Qatar, nations that are very concerned about Iran and the situation in Syria.   Concerning Iran, whose nuclear program is a major worry for Saudi Arabia and the other Gulf nations, Mr. Kerry repeated the American refrain that time was running out for a diplomatic solution, and that allowing Iran to develop nuclear weapons would encourage nuclear proliferation and heighten tensions in the region.
“Talks will not go on for the sake of talks, and talks cannot become an instrument for delay that in the end make the situation more dangerous,” Me. Kerry said. “So there is a finite amount of time.”