AFP

RIYADH A SAUDI trade body cancelled a Tuesday meeting with a Russian delegation of businessmen in protest at Moscow’s position on the Syrian uprising, a top official said.

“The Chamber of Commerce and Industry in Riyadh has cancelled a scheduled meeting with a delegation of Russian businessmen in solidarity with the Syrian people,” said Abdel Rahman al- Juraissi, president of the Saudi trade body.

The meeting was cancelled to “send a message” to denounce the Russian support to Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s regime, he said in a statement.

The announcement came after more than 10,000 messages were posted on Twitter asking the meeting to be cancelled, with some posts on the microblogging site describing Russia as “the (Syrian) president’s partner in the daily bloodshed.” The online campaign, launched Monday, had described the scheduled meeting as “shameful.” It was unclear if the meeting was cancelled as a direct result of the Twitter campaign.

Saudi Arabia has harshly criticised Assad and his regime’s brutal crackdown on a 15- month uprising that rights groups say has so far killed more than 14,000 people.

On June 5, Saudi Foreign Minister Saud Al-Faisal said it was time for Russia to change its stance on Syria and work to ensure a peaceful transfer of power.

Syria’s main opposition coalition the Syrian National Council meanwhile has called for “peaceful protests” across the world on Wednesday against Russia.

Since the start of the Syrian uprising, Russia and China have sided with Assad’s regime and have repeatedly obstructed any UN Security Council action against him and his embattled government.