Upcoming visit
The Arab League commented
- Jamal Rushdi, spokesman for the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, stated that the league is not aware of every step at the bilateral level between the Arab countries.
“We are not supposed to be notified in advance of the supposed visit,” he added.
And last month, Reuters quoted sources as saying that Riyadh and Damascus had reached an agreement to reopen their embassies after the month of Ramadan. The Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs did not confirm that an agreement had been reached, but said it was in talks with the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs to resume consular services.
Discussions over a year ago
- One of the three sources told Reuters that discussions have been underway for more than a year regarding a list of demands the kingdom wants from the Syrian government as a condition for repairing relations, including close cooperation on border security and drug trafficking.
- A source said that the preliminary discussions regarding Prince Faisal’s visit to Damascus or the visit of Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad to Riyadh were postponed due to the earthquakes that struck Turkey and Syria in February.
- Egyptian move
Egypt, which has weight in the Arab League, has also resumed contacts with Assad. - The two sides agreed to enhance cooperation yesterday, Saturday, during the first official visit by a Syrian foreign minister to Cairo in more than a decade.
- An Egyptian security source told Reuters that the visit was aimed at taking steps for Syria’s return to the Arab League, with Egyptian and Saudi mediation.
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