Russian proposal on Syrian weapons will not end bloodshed - Gulf Arab states

RIYADH (Reuters) - Gulf Arab states said on Tuesday a Russian proposal calling for Syria to hand over its chemical weapons to win a reprieve from U.S. military strikes would not stop bloodshed in Syria. "We've heard of the initiative ... It's all about chemical weapons but doesn't stop the spilling of the blood of the Syrian people," Bahrain's Foreign Minister Sheikh Khaled bin Ahmed al-Khalifa told a news conference in Jeddah. Bahrain holds the presidency of the Sunni Muslim-led Gulf Cooperation Council, a main backer of rebels fighting to overthrow Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. Its foreign minister said the GCC states were ready to deal with any threat against them based on their support for the rebels. (Reporting by Mahmoud Habboush, writing by Sami Aboudi; Editing by Janet Lawrence)