Saudi Arabia to cooperate with Russia on Syria crisis

Saudi Arabia will work together with Russia to find a solution for the crisis in Syria and settle the issue of Syrian refugees, a top Saudi diplomat says.

Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Turki bin Mohammed bin Saud Al Kabeer Al Saud made the remarks in a Friday interview with Russia’s RIA Novosti news agency, and expressed hope Moscow would play a constructive role in settling the Syrian conflict that has dragged on for over four years.

The Saudi official also noted that Riyadh is prepared to accept more Syrian refugees if necessary.

He claimed that since 2011, the kingdom has allocated $700 million in financial aid to the Syrian refugees, particularly to those living in camps in neighboring Jordan and Lebanon.

The comments come as Riyadh is widely believed to be one of the main supporters of the foreign-backed terrorists who have been wreaking havoc in Syria since March 2011.

The conflict in Syria has reportedly claimed about 250,000 lives so far. It has forced over four million Syrians to take refuge in neighboring countries. More than 7.2 million others have also been displaced within the Arab country, according to the United Nations.