Emir of Qatar Visits Damascus

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. (KUNA)
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. (KUNA)
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Emir of Qatar Visits Damascus

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. (KUNA)
Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani. (KUNA)

Qatar's Emir Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al-Thani visits Damascus on Thursday, Qatar's Al Jazeera reported, as Syria's new interim government begins a political transition after the opposition factions ousted the Assad regime last year.

Qatar's foreign ministry did not respond to a request for comment.

In January, a US official and a senior diplomat said Qatar planned to help finance a sharp increase in public sector wages pledged by Syria's new government.

Qatar had been lobbying Washington to issue a sanctions exemption for Syria allowing it to provide funding through official channels, the US official and diplomat said.



Rubio Thanks Saudi Crown Prince for Hosting US Talks with Russia

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on, as he visits Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 17, 2025. (Reuters)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on, as he visits Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 17, 2025. (Reuters)
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Rubio Thanks Saudi Crown Prince for Hosting US Talks with Russia

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on, as he visits Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 17, 2025. (Reuters)
US Secretary of State Marco Rubio looks on, as he visits Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, February 17, 2025. (Reuters)

US Secretary of State Marco Rubio said on Tuesday that Washington had taken an important step forward towards establishing “enduring peace between Russia and Ukraine”.

In a post on the X platform, he added: “We are using our global strength to unite countries. The United States wants peace. We want the killing to stop.”

He also expressed his gratitude to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, Saudi Crown Prince and Prime Minister, for hosting landmark talks earlier on Tuesday between the US and Russia aimed at restoring relations and ending the Ukraine war.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, who also attended the talks, described them as “useful”.

Russian and American delegations listened to and heard each other and agreed to create conditions to fully restore cooperation between the two countries, he said.