Syria, Saudi Arabia move to resume consular services, flights

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By Webdesk


Move followed Syrian FM’s visit to Saudi Arabia, the first since the kingdom broke diplomatic ties with Syria in 2012.

Syria and Saudi Arabia are taking steps to resume consular services and flights between the two countries for the first time in more than a decade.

Thursday’s joint statement followed a visit by Syria’s top diplomat to Saudi Arabia, the first since the kingdom broke diplomatic ties with Syria in 2012.

Riyadh avoided Damascus amid Syrian President Bashar al-Assad’s brutal crackdown on peaceful protests in 2011, then supported rebel groups fighting to remove him from power.

The breakdown of relations culminated in Syria’s removal from the Arab League.

However, in recent years, as al-Assad consolidated control of most of the country, Syria’s neighbors began taking steps to return the country to the Arab fold and normalize ties with its leader.

The overtures have gained momentum since the February 6 massive earthquakes in Turkey and Syria, and the Chinese-mediated restoration of ties between Saudi Arabia and Iran, which had supported opposing sides in the Syrian conflict.

Syrian FM visits Saudi Arabia

On Wednesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad landed in Jeddah, an important sign that Syria’s regional isolation was coming to an end.

His visit came at the invitation of Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud. It also came weeks after Mekdad met Egypt and Jordan’s top diplomats, also for the first time in more than 10 years.

In a joint statement at the end of Wednesday’s visit, both sides agreed on the need for a “comprehensive political settlement of the Syrian crisis that would… bring about national reconciliation and contribute to Syria’s return to its Arab fold.” ”.

Saudi Arabia is hosting the next Arab League summit in May, when Syria’s membership is widely expected to be on the table.

However, some members, mainly Qatar, have opposed Damascus’s return to the organization.

Talk of Syria returning to the Arab League was speculation as reasons for his expulsion still existed, Qatar’s prime minister said on Thursday.

Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdurahman Al Thani said in a televised interview that the original basis for Syria’s 2011 suspension of membership in the Arab League still stands. He added that Qatar will maintain its position on normalization with Syria unless there is a political solution to the crisis.

“The war has ended, but the Syrian people are still displaced,” said Qatar’s prime minister. “We do not want to impose solutions on the Syrian people and there must be a political solution. We will not take any step without a political solution, and each country has its own decision and sovereign right.”

Ministers and top officials from the six Gulf Cooperation Council countries — Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates — plus Egypt, Iraq and Jordan will meet on Friday at the request of Saudi Arabia.



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