Washington Urges Assad to 'Listen' to Abdullah

The United States has said that Syrian President Bashar Assad should "listen" to Saudi King Abdullah whose visits to Damascus and Beirut come as part of his peace efforts.
"King Abdullah has played a significant leadership role in the region. So his prospective travel to Syria and to Lebanon is consistent with his search for peace, (and) his promotion of the Arab Peace Initiative," State Department Spokesman Philip Crowley said Wednesday.

Washington also believes that Abdullah's visit "reflects his concern about other regional security developments, including his … well-known concerns about Iran," he told reporters.

He hoped that Syria would play a more constructive role in the region.

When asked about Damascus' ties with Tehran, Crowley said: "It would be much better for Syria to distance itself from Iran and move in a more constructive direction."

"We think that President Assad and other Syrian leaders should listen very attentively to what King Abdullah will tell them," he added.