Saudi Arabia provides Jordan with equipment for airdrop of relief supplies in Gaza    Abha International Airport becomes Saudi Arabia's first silent airport    Lower part of Kaaba's kiswa raised ahead of Hajj    Hajj Ministry stops issuing Umrah permits through Nusuk App for a month    GASTAT: Saudi Arabia's non-oil exports surge 3.3% in Q1 of 2024    Arab leaders approve Riyadh as headquarters of Cybersecurity Ministers Council    Saudi Pro League to hold trophy award ceremony at Al Hilal's Kingdom Arena on Friday    'Hijra': A new cinematic exploration by Saudi filmmaker Shahad Ameen    9 dead, 54 injured as wind causes stage collapse at Mexico election rally    Biden looks to counter China's influence as he rolls out red carpet for Kenya    Czech court okays extradition of US murder plot accused    Pure beverages industry company launches the world's first German water treatment technology in cooperation with Krones AG Through its brands IVAL and OSKA    China starts military drills around Taiwan days after island swears in new leader    Court forces Angelina Jolie to release non-disclosure agreements    TCL Electronics introduces the latest QD-Mini LED TV and smart home appliances    Saudi Arabia completes 1st phase of desertification assessment with creating 246 maps    Syrian first lady Asma al-Assad diagnosed with leukemia, presidency announces    Oleksandr Usyk claims undisputed heavyweight title in 'Ring of Fire' match in Riyadh    Jorge Jesus praises Al Hilal's resilience after dramatic last-minute draw in Riyadh Derby    Star golfer Scottie Scheffler arrested over alleged assault on police officer    JK Rowling in 'arrest me' challenge over hate crime law    Trump's Bible endorsement raises concern in Christian religious circles    Hollywood icon Will Smith shares his profound admiration for Holy Qur'an    We have celebrated Founding Day for three years - but it has been with us for 300    Exotic Taif Roses Simulation Performed at Taif Rose Festival    Asian shares mixed Tuesday    Weather Forecast for Tuesday    Saudi Tourism Authority Participates in Arabian Travel Market Exhibition in Dubai    Minister of Industry Announces 50 Investment Opportunities Worth over SAR 96 Billion in Machinery, Equipment Sector    HRH Crown Prince Offers Condolences to Crown Prince of Kuwait on Death of Sheikh Fawaz Salman Abdullah Al-Ali Al-Malek Al-Sabah    HRH Crown Prince Congratulates Santiago Peña on Winning Presidential Election in Paraguay    SDAIA Launches 1st Phase of 'Elevate Program' to Train 1,000 Women on Data, AI    41 Saudi Citizens and 171 Others from Brotherly and Friendly Countries Arrive in Saudi Arabia from Sudan    Saudi Arabia Hosts 1st Meeting of Arab Authorities Controlling Medicines    General Directorate of Narcotics Control Foils Attempt to Smuggle over 5 Million Amphetamine Pills    NAVI Javelins Crowned as Champions of Women's Counter-Strike: Global Offensive (CS:GO) Competitions    Saudi Karate Team Wins Four Medals in World Youth League Championship    Third Edition of FIFA Forward Program Kicks off in Riyadh    Evacuated from Sudan, 187 Nationals from Several Countries Arrive in Jeddah    SPA Documents Thajjud Prayer at Prophet's Mosque in Madinah    SFDA Recommends to Test Blood Sugar at Home Two or Three Hours after Meals    SFDA Offers Various Recommendations for Safe Food Frying    SFDA Provides Five Tips for Using Home Blood Pressure Monitor    SFDA: Instant Soup Contains Large Amounts of Salt    Mawani: New shipping service to connect Jubail Commercial Port to 11 global ports    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques Delivers Speech to Pilgrims, Citizens, Residents and Muslims around the World    Sheikh Al-Issa in Arafah's Sermon: Allaah Blessed You by Making It Easy for You to Carry out This Obligation. Thus, Ensure Following the Guidance of Your Prophet    Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques addresses citizens and all Muslims on the occasion of the Holy month of Ramadan    







Thank you for reporting!
This image will be automatically disabled when it gets reported by several people.



Putin visits Berlin, Paris amid divide over Syria
Published in Saudi Press Agency on 01 - 06 - 2012

Vladimir Putin can expect to face pressure from the leaders of Germany and France for a change of heart on Syria when he visits Berlin and Paris on Friday - but there's little sign that the Russian president is prepared to tighten the diplomatic screws on Bashar Assad, AP reported.
Putin's meetings with German Chancellor Angela Merkel and, later, with new French President Francois Hollande are part of his first foreign trip since returning to the Russian presidency.
The visit to the 17-nation eurozone's two biggest economies, after a stop in Belarus on Thursday, reflects a policy course driven primarily by Russia's economic interests.
Still, Germany and France - both members of the U.N. Security Council and France, like Russia, a veto-wielding permanent member - will want to bend Putin's ear on the escalating crisis in Syria.
Russia, along with China, has twice shielded Syrian President Assad's regime from United Nations sanctions over his crackdown on protests. Syria is Russia's last ally in the region, providing Moscow with its only naval base outside the former Soviet Union and serving as a top customer for Russian weapons industries.
Germany and France are among Western powers that sought to isolate Assad further by expelling Syrian ambassadors after the massacre of more than 100 people in Houla, nearly half of them children, provoked international outrage.
Nearly 300 U.N. observers have been deployed around Syria to monitor a cease-fire that was supposed to go into effect April 12 as part of a peace plan negotiated by international envoy Kofi Annan, but the plan has been unraveling amid daily violence.
Western leaders have talked about how the Security Council can act to ensure the Annan plan's implementation but, Merkel conceded Thursday, "the prospects are really bad."


Clic here to read the story from its source.