Syrian FM visits Saudi Arabia first time in 11 years amid regional diplomacy drive

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday in a significant move toward the restoration of diplomatic ties between the two countries as the regional diplomacy drive intensifies. 

This is the first official visit by a Syrian foreign minister to Saudi Arabia in 11 years. The visit comes at the official invitation of Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, according to Saudi and Syrian state media.

The Saudi and Syrian foreign ministers are set to hold “a session of talks on efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis that preserves the unity, security and stability of Syria,” according to a post published on the official Twitter page of the Saudi Foreign Ministry.

The two top diplomats will also discuss “facilitating the return of Syrian refugees to their homeland, and securing humanitarian access to the affected areas in Syria,” added the ministry.

The visit comes as the two countries agreed in March to resume diplomatic relations and re-open embassies after more than a decade. Back in March 2012, Riyadh severed ties with Damascus and closed its embassy while supporting the militants that sought to overthrow the government of Bashar al-Assad.

Despite the Israeli and Western efforts to isolate Syria, a growing number of regional countries, including the UAE, Egypt, Jordan, and Oman, have expressed readiness to resume diplomatic relations with Damascus.

Also on Wednesday, Syria and Tunisia also announced in a joint statement that they will reopen their embassies after almost a decade.

GCC to discuss Syria return to Arab League in light of Saudi-Iran detente

The GCC will discuss the return of Syria to the Arab League next week.

There has been increasing diplomatic engagement between Syria and its Arab neighbors in recent months, with many countries coming forward to normalize their ties with Bashar al-Assad's government after years of tension and hostility. 

Al-Assad has already visited the UAE and Oman this year and is expected to visit other Arab states as well in the near future. 

Meanwhile, Saudi Arabia will host a meeting of regional foreign ministers on Friday to discuss the possibility of Syria's return to the Arab League.

Syria's return to the fold of the Arab world will represent a big blow to the West’s failed policy towards Damascus, regional observers believe.

Diplomatic drive in the West Asian region has gained momentum since Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to restore ties in March. Observers believe the rapprochement can be influential in enhancing the security and stability in the region.

According to reports, Syria and Saudi Arabia are preparing to reopen embassies after Eid al-Fitr, which marks the end of the fasting month of Ramadan.

Riyadh is also set to invite Assad to attend the Arab League summit, which can be a landmark meeting for the resumption of ties between Syria and Arab countries.

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