Syria and Saudi Arabia agreed to resume diplomatic relations and open their embassies after that more sources said Thursday.
Contacts between Riyadh and Damascus had gained momentum after a historic agreement to restore relations between Saudi Arabia and Iran, a key ally of President Bashar al-Assad, an allied regional source with Damascus said.
Reestablishment of Relations between Riyadh and Damascus will be the most important development Until now in moves By the Arab countries to normalize relations with happy, who He was shunned by many Western and Arab countries after the outbreak of the civil war in Syria in 2011.
The two governments were “preparing to reopen the embassies after Eid al-Fitr” for the Muslim holiday in the second half of April, A.; second Regional source alignment with Damascus told Reuters.
the decision He was result of talks in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia with a senior Syrian intelligence officialaccording one of Regional sources and diplomat in Gulf.
Saudi government contact office and the Ministry of Foreign Affairs of the Kingdom and Syria government He did not respond to requests for comment.
Sources have spoken on condition of Anonymity because of the sensitivity of the topic.
It may indicate a sudden breakout it seems how The deal may be between Tehran and Riyadh play in other crises in the region, where rivalry between them fueled conflicts, including war in Syria.
United States and several of Its regional allies, including Saudi Arabia and Qatar, supported some of Syrian opposition. Assad was able to defeat the rebellion for the most part of Syria thanks largely to Iran and Russia.
The United States is an ally of Saudi Arabia, opposed moves By region countries to normalize relations with Assad, citing his government’s ruthlessness during the conflict, was need to see progress towards a political solution.
Suspension of membership in the Arab League
The United Arab Emirates, another strategic partner of the United States, led way in Contact normalization with Assad received him recently in Abu Dhabi with his wife.
But Saudi Arabia was moving far more to caution.
A high-ranking Gulf diplomat told Syrian intelligence official “stayed for days” in Riyadh and an agreement concluded to reopen embassies “too soon. “
One of Identified regional sources official as Hussam Louqa, who He heads the Syrian Intelligence Committee, and said the talks included security on Syria borders with Jordan and smuggling of Captagon and amphetamine for which there is thriving market in Persian Gulf from Syria.
Syria was suspended from the League of Arab States in 2011 in in response to Assad’s brutal repression on protests.
The foreign Saudi minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud earlier this month said his engagement with Assad can lead For Syria’s return to the Arab League, but it was currently It is too early to discuss such step.
The diplomat said the Syrian-Saudi talks could pave the way way for a vote To lift the Syrian suspension during next Arab summit to be held in Kingdom of Saudi Arabia in April.
The UAE has reopened its embassy in Damascus in 2018 with an Arabic pretext countries necessary more of Presence in Solve the Syrian conflict.
While the lion is basking in Communication renewal with Arab countries that once shunned him, impose US sanctions remain major complicating factor for countries Seeking to expand business relations.
