By Ahmed Amin
RIYADH, Saudi Arabia
Saudi Arabia’s proactive diplomacy since King Salman came to power has played an important role in reforming Russian attitudes towards the Syrian crisis, according to Arab political experts.
Crown Prince Muhammad Bin Salman's visit to Moscow last month and the Saudi foreign minister’s visit two days before are positive signs, they said.
Saudi political writer and expert Khaled Al-Dakhil believes that Saudi’s active diplomacy with Moscow will help resolve the Syrian crisis.
"The Syrian issue will be solved. Mutual understanding does exist between the Kingdom and Russia regarding the situation in Syria. However, Assad presence’s represents the main problem," he told Anadolu Agency.
Al-Dakhil said that Russia will be convinced of Assad’s removal in the end, but it will take some time.
If Russia is convinced, it will in turn convince Iran and will affect the latter’s stance towards Syria.
However, both Moscow and Tehran will seek to find way out for Assad like Saleh in Yemen, al-Dakhil said.
Al-Dakhil backed up his opinions by pointing to statements by Obama where he said he witnessed changes in Russian attitudes regarding Syria and Assad's presence.
"Everyone must understand and realize that Assad is the reason behind the crisis, and the origin of terrorism in Syria. Assad will never be a part of resolving the problem," al-Dakhil said.
Commenting on the Syrian National Council Coalition’s official visit to Moscow, al-Dakhil said that is part of the context of Russia understanding that there must be a political solution between the Syrian regime and opposition.
Qatari political expert Muhammad al-Mesfer agrees with al-Dakhil.
He believes that Russian attitudes are changing towards the Syrian crisis, which means that Saudi diplomacy is gradually achieving its goals.
"Russia wants to preserve Syria as it is with its institutions," al-Mesfer said. "This necessitates combining all international efforts, including with Saudi Arabia to solve the issue."
The Qatari political expert believes said that Saudi’s stance is well-known, and will not change.
He said that Saudi Arabia believes that Assad is part of the problem and will never be a part of the solution, and that "Russia must reconsider its attitudes so that they are in region’s people’s interests."
Al-Mesfer said that the Syrian National Council Coalition’s official visit to Moscow is in line with Saudi diplomacy and puts pressure on Russia to change its attitude toward the whole Syrian crisis and not just towards Assad.
Saudi Foreign Minister Adel al-Jubair said in a press conference after his visit to Moscow: "The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will never accept, negotiate, or cooperate with Assad. He has killed more than 300,000 Syrians, displaced more than 12 million people and cooperated with Daesh to pretend to be fighting terrorism. The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia will cooperate with Russia to solve the crisis, and there are many overlapping points between us regarding many other issues."
Russian Foreign Minister Sergi Lavrov, for his part, said that "Russia refuses military interference in Syria. The solution should be political and by Syrian hands only."
