17 Apr. (EUROPE PRESS) –
The Syrian Foreign Minister, Faisal Mikdad, has placed among Damascus’s priorities on Monday “reforming its relations” with the countries of the region, at a time when several Arab nations have opened the door to resume their ties after more ten years of almost total isolation, including the possibility of being accepted back into the Arab League.
Mikdad, who is making an official visit to Algeria, has indicated in an interview with the Algerian television channel Algeria International TV that the restoration of these ties is a way to ensure that regional cooperation “is beneficial”, although it has recognized that there are “differences” within the body on the application of its policies.
Thus, he explained that Damascus appreciates that “most Arab countries are now beginning to understand that the path of joint Arab action is the only one that preserves the dignity of the Arabs, as well as the rights of the Palestinians.” Mikdad has also defended that this position allows us to reject the “blatant interference of Western countries”.
On the other hand, he has confirmed that his meeting on Sunday with the Algerian president, Abdelmayid Tebune, was “cordial” and has emphasized that this meeting “demonstrates the depth of relations between two brother countries”, as stated by the Syrian state television station, ORTAS. Mikdad delivered a message to Tebune from his Syrian counterpart, Bashar al-Assad, without further details being disclosed.
The Syrian Foreign Minister will travel to Tunisia this Monday, days after Damascus confirmed that it will reopen its Embassy in the African country “in response to the initiative of the Tunisian president, Kais Saied, to appoint an ambassador to Syria “.
Mikdad’s trip takes place after the ministerial meeting of the Council for the Cooperation of the Arab States of the Gulf (CCG) in Saudi Arabia -in which other regional countries also participated- to address the situation in Syria, a meeting that took place ended without an agreement on the reincorporation of Damascus into regional organizations.
Syria was expelled from the Arab League after the outbreak of the war for the repression of pro-democratic demonstrations in line with the ‘Arab Spring’, after which several regional countries, including Saudi Arabia, lent support to various rebel groups in Syrian territory. The Syrian government received the backing of Iran.
Syria and Saudi Arabia recently began talks to reestablish ties, a move that followed the agreement recently signed between Riyadh and Tehran to normalize their bilateral relations, broken in 2016. Several countries in the region have opted to restore their ties with Damascus, which It has been a boost for the Syrian president, Bashar al Assad.
