Arabs frustrated over Russia's position on Syria

PanARMENIAN.Net - Disappointed and bewildered by Russia's continued backing of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad's regime, several Arab dignitaries and political analysts have called on Moscow to take a clear stance and urgent action to put an end to bloodshed in Syria, RIA Novosti reported.

"We believe that the Russian position on Syria is wrong," Mohamed Tharwat, the head of the Egypt-based Strategic Studies Center, said during an international Valdai conference held over the weekend in the Black Sea resort city of Sochi. "We used to look at Russia as a supporter of the Arabs; now, we see that Russia is supporting their killing."

Meanwhile, Russian analysts and officials have argued that Moscow's position on Syria aims to protect its statehood and undercut what Russia calls Western attempts to unseat unwanted regimes by supporting the armed opposition.

Alexei Vasilyev from the Russian Academy of Sciences said he believed international media was unfairly "demonizing" Russia over it's attitude towards the Syrian regime, "but those are lies."

"What is Bashar al-Assad for Russia? An ally? This is not serious," he said.

Moscow's primary concern is to protect the country's sovereignty, Vasilyev said. "We cannot import Western values [to the Arab world] if the people do not want this."

Russia and China, both permanent United Nations Security Council members, have vetoed two UN resolutions on Syria in October and early February.