King Abdullah, Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques, has told Russia that there is no point in entering into a dialogue with any of its officials because Moscow has already made up its mind on the Syrian crisis. The King, who is noted for his keen insight, is right. Indeed, unless the Kremlin shows any sign that it is willing to change its mind and listen to reason, any dialogue on the Syrian crisis would be meaningless. Russia has vetoed an Arab-backed UN resolution calling for Bashar Al-Assad to end the bloodshed in Syria and step down so that the Syrian people can form a government which will truly represent their will and interests. When Vladimir Putin won the recent Russian presidential election, many political analysts expected that Moscow might change its position on the genocide of Al-Assad's regime. But Putin's latest statements have indicated that Russia is still putting its own interests in Syria over and above the plight of the Syrian people. King Abdullah told the Russian president that the Saudi position on the Syrian crisis can never change because it is based on Islamic humanitarian values, moral ethics and international laws which seek peace, justice and security. If Russia does not intend to change its position on the Syrian crisis, what is the point of the Russian Minister of Foreign Affairs touring the Gulf states to meet his Arab counterparts? If Russia will not listen to reason and has hardened its heart to the plight of the Syrian people, what is there to talk about? With Moscow's heartless and unreasonable position already fixed, there is no room for dialogue, as King Abdullah told the Russian president. __
