RIYADH, July 29 (Reuters) - Saudi Arabia said Syrians should
be enabled to protect themselves against government attacks but
declined direct comment on a report that it had helped set up a
secret liaison centre in Turkey to aid a rebellion against
President Bashar al-Assad.
Gulf sources told Reuters on Friday that Saudi Arabia,
Turkey and Qatar had established a centre in Adana, southeastern
Turkey, to help the rebel Free Syrian Army with communications
and weaponry as it battles in major cities against forces loyal
to Assad.
"The very well-known position of the kingdom of Saudi Arabia
is to extend to the Syrian people financial and humanitarian
assistance, as well as calling upon the international community
to enable them to protect themselves at the very least if the
international community is not able to do so," a foreign
ministry spokesman said by text message on Saturday, answering a
Reuters query about the base.
"The Syrian regime is importing and using all kinds of
weapons to fight and oppress its own people in a fierce war as
if it's launched towards a foreign enemy - not against its
disarmed population", the spokesman added.
The Gulf sources had also said the Adana centre, which is
near the Syrian border and a U.S. airforce base at Incirlik, was
set up at the suggestion of Saudi Deputy Foreign Minister Prince
Abdulaziz bin Abdullah during a trip to Turkey.
However, the foreign ministry spokesman said Prince
Abdulaziz, who was promoted to deputy foreign minister last
year, and is a son of King Abdullah, had not visited Turkey.
Saudi Arabia, the largest Gulf Arab country by size and
population has led efforts by Sunni Muslim states to isolate
President Assad's government, which is dominated by members of
the Alawi Shi'ite sect, since the outbreak of a popular revolt
against him early last year.