Alwaght- When the Syrian crisis started in 2011 and a Western-Arab-Israeli front lined up against the Syrian government by all means, few imagined that the warmongers will one day aspire to resume ties with the government of President Bashar al-Assad. However, this is happening after 12 years. In continuation of exchange of visits between Arab countries and Syria, the Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad visited Saudi Arabia at the invitation of his Saudi counterpart.
Mekdad met Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan in Jeddah. The two countries agreed in a joint statement to resume consular services and reopen embassies and flights after over a decade of diplomatic hiatus. According to the Syrian foreign ministry, the two sides also agreed to strengthen security and counter-terrorism efforts. They discussed the necessary steps to achieve a comprehensive political solution to the Syrian crisis that ends all its consequences, achieve national reconciliation and the return of Syrian refugees, and help Syria return to Arab environment and resume its natural role in Arab world. The two ministers also agreed to push for humanitarian solutions and provide a proper environment for aids to reach all parts of Syria.
This is the first visit of a top Syrian diplomat to the Arab kingdom after over a decade. The visit comes as bilateral relations are now on the track of recovery and Riyadh in recent weeks announced intention to reopen its embassy in Damascus. The two countries moved even faster to rapprochement after a recent détente deal between Iran and Saudi Arabia, both supported opposite sides in the Syrian civil war. The two countries are expected to resume full-scale relations which experts say will effectively help restore peace and stability to the region. In addition, the improvement of relations between Saudi Arabia and Syria can be effective in reducing the effectiveness of the US sanctions against Damascus, and the wealthy monarchies of the Persian Gulf will go generous in supporting Syria reconstitution and helping it assuage its economic crisis.
A prelude for al-Assad presence at Arab League summit
Though Mekdad’s Riyadh trip came to seemingly improve ties between Riyadh and Damascus, there are regional goals behind it that can pave the way for Damascus return to the Arab League. The visit came as the ( Persian) Gulf Cooperation Council foreign ministers held a meeting in Jeddah on Friday and, according to reports, discussed Syrian return to the Arab bloc.
The debate around Syria’s return to the Arab League has been on the agenda of some Arab countries since last year, but due to the opposition of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, there has been no tangible progress. However, it seems that in recent weeks, rays of hope have begun to emerge. Egyptian President Abdel Fattah el-Sisi met the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman during his trip to Riyadh last week, and the issue of Syria’s return to the Arab League reportedly was the focus of these talks. In the past weeks, the Iraqi government also held talks with the Saudis and other Arab countries in the region, and everything is ready for the realization of this plan. Some informed sources have said that the Saudis plan to invite the Syrian president to attend the Arab League meeting, set for May 19 in Saudi Arabia. Al-Assad’s participation in this summit will mark an official end the regional isolation of Damascus after 12 years.
Upon eruption of the civil conflict in Syria in 2011, Arab countries followed in Western footsteps and cut off diplomatic ties with Damascus. However, in recent years and after Syria government tightened its grip on much of the territories it initially lost to terrorist groups, its neighbors began to take steps to move close to Damascus, and the February earthquake made a turning point where Arab countries re-embraced Syria. In the past days, the Syrian embassy was reopened in Tunisia, marking a opener for similar moves in other Arab capitals. During the crisis period, the Syrian government gained a lot of experience in fighting terrorism, and with the return of this country to the Arab League, other Arab states can use its experience in dealing with terrorists. The return of the Arab countries to Damascus is a vindication of the legitimacy of the Syrian government against the front of terrorists and hostile countries, and everyone has now realized this fact.
The US worried its foothold will be undermined in Syria
The US, which remains the biggest actor hostile to the Syrian government, is growing concerned as Arab countries re-embrace Damascus and is struggling to hinder this rapprochement. The US issued a warning following Mekdad’s visit.
A US State Department spokesperson said states should receive “tangible outcomes” that improve the humanitarian and security situation for Syrians while also pushing for regime cooperation in the political process as stated in UN resolutions.
“Our position is clear: We will not normalize relations with the Assad regime absent real progress towards a political solution to the underlying conflict,” a National Security Council (NSC) official told the Saudi-run Al Arabiya news network.
The US has stressed to Arab countries engaging with the Syrian regime that credible steps to improve Syrians’ humanitarian and security situation should be front and center in any engagement, the NSC spokesperson said.
“We have also made clear that the core architecture of our sanctions remains firmly in place,” the official added.
Washington had earlier set some conditions to the Arab League for Syria return. Analysts agree that closeness of political position of Syria and other Arab countries poses a serious threat to the American interests. The Americans cannot implement their evil plans against Syria in an environment of Syria-Arab détente. After all, a state of peace in the region runs counter to the American and Israeli interests, and the two are pushing for perpetuation of the crisis and instability in Syria for their illegitimate military presence to continue. Return of the once-hostile Arab countries to Syria will boost al-Assad regional and international image and this is difficult for Washington that has used all its means to topple the Syrian president.
The US and Israeli regime pushed hard to lure the Arab countries into normalization and tighten the noose on Syria and its staunch backer Iran, but to their frustration, the Arabs are now heading to Damascus rather than Tel Aviv for détente. With Islamic countries beefing up their relations, the American occupiers will lose their place in Syria, and have to pull out of the Arab country with a scandal worse than that caused by Afghanistan withdrawal.
