Saudi Arabia, Egypt deny rift over Assad’s role in Syria

Saudi minister Adel Al Jubeir said that Iran is the only country interfering in the Middle East’s affairs and supporting terrorism.

By (Agencies)

Published: Tue 2 Jun 2015, 1:22 AM

Last updated: Wed 19 Feb 2020, 10:34 AM

Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukri and his newly appointed Saudi counterpart Adel Al Jubeir arrive for a joint press conference following their meeting in Cairo . -AFP
Cairo - Egypt and Saudi Arabia sought on Sunday to downplay reports of discord among the close allies over Syria during a visit of the Saudi foreign minister to Cairo.
Riyadh is a key backer of rebels battling to overthrow Syrian President Bashar Al Assad. Egypt’s government, which is deeply suspicious of Islamist movements throughout the region, says Assad’s government will have to be part of a negotiated settlement.
Cairo is hosting a group of Syrian non-Islamist opposition factions next week. There are also plans for Riyadh to hold a Syrian opposition conference but no date has been set yet.
Local media in both countries say the dispute over Syria has caused discord between the two allies.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel Al Jubeir, who is visiting Cairo for the first time since assuming his post, denied any reports of tension.
“There is no disagreement,” he told reporters. “In Syria, we are all seeking to remove Bashar Assad from power after he lost his legitimacy, and we are all seeking to restore peace and stability in Syria. We are seeking to protect the government and military institutions in Syria to be able to deal with the challenges after the Assad regime.”
The Saudi minister said that Iran is the only country interfering in the Middle East’s affairs. He added that the Islamic Republic is supporting terrorism. The minister said that his country will not stand idly in the face of Iran’s meddling in the region’s affairs.
Egypt’s Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said the two countries’ policies complement each other.
Shoukry denied reports that Egypt and Russia are working to come up with a new political initiative for a negotiated solution in Syria, but said there was ongoing coordination between Cairo and Moscow.
Shoukry said his government is working with the Russians to convince the Syrian government “of the need to take part in the political process along with different oppositions” supported by Russia, Egypt and Saudi Arabia.
Meanwhile, Iraq Prime Minister Haider Al Abadi sought to reassure Saudi Arabia on Sunday that Iraq is not a “gateway for Iran” and will not take part in regional conflicts between the two countries.
“Iraq is not a gateway for Iran,” Abadi said in an interview with Iraqiya state TV.
“We do not want to enter into regional conflicts, and if there are regional conflicts between Saudi Arabia and Iran,” Baghdad will not be involved, the premier said.