point formula Arab and Russian foreign ministers called for an end to the violence in Syria “whatever its source.” Reading out a joint statement, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov and Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Al-Thani said they also agreed on setting up a mechanism for “objective monitoring” in the country and had agreed on no foreign intervention there. They also called for “unhindered humanitarian access” in Syria and support for the mission to Damascus of UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan. They said the five-point statement was based on the General Assembly resolution passed on February 16 and on previous Arab resolutions. CAIRO – Saudi Arabia's Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal said in his address Saturday to Arab and Russian foreign ministers meeting on Syria that the veto of a UN Security Council resolution that condemned the Syrian government had allowed violence to continue. “We must move fast and seriously to give the Syrian people a glimmer of hope to end their ordeal. We must stop issuing hollow resolutions and taking spineless positions,” Prince Saud said in his speech at the Arab ministerial meeting that was attended by Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov. “The position of those countries which thwarted the UN Security Council resolution and voted against the resolution of the General Assembly gave the Syrian regime a license to extend its brutal practices against the Syrian people,” said Prince Saud. He also said he hoped Russia would “support the decisions of the Arab League's council regarding solving the situation in Syria,” a reference to an Arab initiative that includes calling for President Bashar Al-Assad to step aside. “We see in the presence of Sergei Lavrov a sign which indicates Russia's attention to the situation in Syria. We welcome him in our meeting but we hope that this attention will be interpreted in a way that reminds us of the supporting stance of Russia to the Arab issues which has always been appreciated by our nations. We believe that this can be done by supporting decisions of the Arab League related to the tackling of Syrian issues,” Prince Saud said. “We should open all the channels of contacts with representatives of the Syrian opposition and provide all support to it so that it can tackle the situation. Most important of all, we should guarantee the dispatch of urgent humanitarian aid to the affected people besides inviting and urging all international humanitarian agencies and organizations to contribute to this aid,” he said. Other Arab foreign ministers also told Russia in blunt language its failure to take a tough line on Syria had allowed killing to continue and urged Moscow to back an Arab peace effort. Qatar told Arab ministers it was time to recognize the exiled Syrian National Council as Syria's legitimate representative. “We must send a message to the Syrian regime that the world's patience and our patience has run out, as has the time for silence about its practices,” Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad Bin Jassim Al-Thani said in an opening address. Sheikh Hamad also indicated the rebels' actions could not be equated with that of the authorities. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov told reporters after the meeting at the Arab League headquarters that he and his Arab counterparts want “an end to the violence whatever its source.” Reading out a joint statement, Lavrov and Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Hamad said they also agreed on setting up a mechanism for “objective monitoring” in the conflict-stricken country, and had agreed on no foreign intervention there. They also called for “unhindered humanitarian access” in Syria and support for the mission of UN-Arab League envoy Kofi Annan to Damascus. They said the five-point statement was based on the General Assembly resolution passed on February 16.
