CNN :
President Barack Obama hosted Jordan’s King Abdullah II at a private residence in California, where the two leaders took the opportunity to speak publicly on the humanitarian crisis within Syria.
After the two leaders discussed the situation Friday, a senior administration official had sharp words for Russia’s handling of Syria.
Saying Russia “had a critical role” to play in looking for a solution, the official said, “as long as they remain wedded to the status quo, this is going to be a difficult problem to resolve.”
In a background briefing with pool reporters following the meeting, the official said Russia “can’t have it both ways. They can’t say they’re in favor of negotiations in Geneva and a transitional government guided by full executive authority and humanitarian access and have a happy Olympics, and then be part and parcel of supporting this regime as it kills people in the most brutal way.”
“I don’t think any of us have any expectation that they are going to turn on a dime” the official conceded, adding the administration would not exclude the possibility of reaching “a humanitarian resolution” despite Russia’s “sorry record” of vetoing UN. sanction resolutions.
Jordan’s King Abdullah II meets with President Barack Obama on Friday at the Sunnylands Estate in Rancho Mirage, California. Jordan’s King Abdullah II meets with President Barack Obama on Friday at the Sunnylands Estate in Rancho Mirage, California.
The ongoing Syrian civil war has put Russia and the United States at odds, with Russia blocking sanction efforts against Syria within the United Nations while officials within the White House maintain the United States’ position is still that President Bashar al-Assad must step down.
All this plays out as Jordan struggles to cope with more than half a million registered refugees that have crossed the border with Syria in recent years.
The official said Obama and Abdullah discussed a possible UN. resolution that could pressure the Syrian regime and “create a legal precedent for cross-border operations.”
