The kingdom’s ambassador to London, Prince Mohammed bin Nawaf bin Abdulaziz al-Saud, said that the Western approach to the region is a “dangerous gamble” that jeopardizes stability in the Middle East.
Instead Riyadh wants to independently arm the Syria insurgents, saying the country “cannot remain silent, and will not stand idly by,” Abdulaziz wrote in a New York Times commentary.
The comments come amid global efforts, led by Russia and the US, for a peaceful resolution to the drawn-out Syrian crisis.
The international community is placing high hopes on the Geneva-2 peace conference on Syria, scheduled for Jan. 22, which is set to bring the sides of the Syrian conflict to the negotiation table.
They also follow recent critical statements by some Western politicians and media, saying Saudi Arabia has already been providing military support to the Syrian militants and thus fueling the raging conflict in the Arab country.
In regards to Syria, Abdulaziz said Saudi Arabia has “global responsibilities,” and Riyadh “will act to fulfill these responsibilities, with or without the support of our Western partners.”
Despite standing “shoulder to shoulder” for years “this year, for all their talk of 'red lines,' when it counted, our partners have seemed all too ready to concede our safety and risk our region’s stability.”
“The Saudis plan to expand training facilities they operate in Jordan and increase the firepower of arms sent to rebel groups,” the article said.
Saudi Arabia is considered to be the biggest supporter of war in Syria to overthrow Syrian government.
Saudi elements have been setting armies of their own among the Syrian conflict that has seen tens of Saudi nationals killed in different battlefields in the war-torn country.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said on November 30th that the whole war could end in Syria if Riyadh stopped sending arms and forces.
On Wednesday, a former Italian prime minister Massimo D'Alema blamed Saudi Arabia and Qatar for “supplying weapons and equipment” to the militants in Syria, as cited by Itar-Tass.
In November, The Washington Post citing senior Persian Gulf officials, reported that Saudi Arabia was trying to independently provide military support to the militants after previously aligning itself with US interests in the region.
The war in Syria started in March 2011, when pro-reform protests turned into a massive insurgency following the intervention of Western and regional states.
The unrest, which took in terrorist groups from across Europe, the Middle East and North Africa, has transpired as one of the bloodiest conflicts in recent history.
According to the United Nations, more than 120,000 people have been killed and millions displaced due to the turmoil that has gripped Syria for over two years.
SHI/SHI