While Moscow all but expressed concern about the situation, Riyadh classified it as an attempt at meddling in its domestic affairs. Analysts say that an underlying cause for the emerging crisis in Russia’s relations with countries of the Gulf is the conflict in Syria.
The Saudi authorities have described Russian Foreign Ministry statements concerning the clashes as “a flagrant and totally unjustified interference in the domestic affairs of Saudi Arabia”. A mere two passages constituted an official commentary by Russia’s Human Rights Commissioner Konstantin Dolgov which appeared on the Russian Foreign Ministry’s website on July 12th . The report said that Russia was concerned about incidents in Saudi’s eastern province which could pose a danger to stability and civil accord in Saudi Arabia.
The report was published following clashes between local police and Shiite protesters in the east of the country. Shiite representatives make up a minority in Sunni-dominated Saudi Arabia. The unrest in Qatif followed the arrest of Shiite Sheikh Nimr Al-Nimr. The police used weapons against the protesters killing two people and injuring several dozen. According to analyst Stanislav Tarasov, Russia considered this incident a good opportunity to demonstrate to the Saudi authorities that they were de facto acting in the same manner as Syria’s President Bashar Assad, whose regime they strongly condemn.
"Shiite protests in Saudi Arabia were an instance of the Arab Spring. Saudi Arabia brought troops to Bahrain and took part in forcing rulers from power in Yemen. Russia just kept watching without comment until the situation in the Middle East deteriorated to the limit. Moscow then decided to highlight the position of Shiite minorities in Saudi Arabia and the neighboring countries in order to drive it home to countries that are involved in the Syrian conflict."
Oriental Studies expert Boris Dolgov believes that Riyadh’s accusatory statement is but the first signal of the worsening of relations between Russia and countries of the Gulf which call for the overthrow of President Assad.
"Relations between Russia and Saudi Arabia cooled if not soured after Saudi Arabia and nearly all countries of the Gulf supported the Syrian opposition. Saudi Arabia and Qatar are financing and supplying weapons for armed groups in Syria. Saudi Arabia provides shelter for Sunni opposition leaders from Syria who are strongly adverse to the Syrian authorities and call for physical extermination of Syrian leaders."
Shiite protests have been reported in Saudi Arabia before. In March last year Shiites took to the streets of Hafuf and Qatif to demand the release of their brothers in faith. Shiite Sheikh Tawfiq al-Amer called for government reforms and a constitutional monarchy. Back then, police dispersed the crowds using firearms.
