UAE Reopens Embassy in Damascus

The UAE reopens its embassy in Damascus. (Reuters)
The UAE reopens its embassy in Damascus. (Reuters)
TT

UAE Reopens Embassy in Damascus

The UAE reopens its embassy in Damascus. (Reuters)
The UAE reopens its embassy in Damascus. (Reuters)

The United Arab Emirates reopened on Thursday its embassy in Damascus, six years after closing it with the eruption of the country’s conflict.

The UAE broke ties with Syria in February 2012, as the repression of nationwide protests demanding regime change was escalating into a devastating war.

An acting charge d'affaires has already started working, an Emirati statement said, stressing that the UAE was "keen to put relations back on their normal track".

It said that the resumption of ties aimed to "support the sovereignty and independence of Syria" and face "the dangers of regional interferences".

The past few days have seen a flurry of diplomatic activity that looks set to continue until the next summit of the Arab League, due in Tunis in March.

“Recent discussions on this issue have not yielded a consensus," Hossam Zaki, the League's deputy secretary general, told reporters in Cairo on Monday.

"This does not rule out a possible change of the Arab position in the future," he added.

UAE State Minister for Foreign Affairs Anwar Gargash stated later that Syria’s return to the Arab League “need Arab consensus.”

Moreover, he stressed that “opening channels of contact with Damascus will not leave it exposed to Iranian meddling.”

“All parties are convinced of the need for a political solution to the Syrian crisis,” he added.



Syria, Egypt FMs Discuss Regional Peace

Syria's foreign minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, speaks during a press conference in Damascus, Syria, December 30, 2024. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
Syria's foreign minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, speaks during a press conference in Damascus, Syria, December 30, 2024. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
TT

Syria, Egypt FMs Discuss Regional Peace

Syria's foreign minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, speaks during a press conference in Damascus, Syria, December 30, 2024. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi
Syria's foreign minister, Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, speaks during a press conference in Damascus, Syria, December 30, 2024. REUTERS/Khalil Ashawi

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani, appointed by the new rulers, said on social media on Tuesday that he had received a phone call from his Egyptian counterpart, Badr Abdelatty, in which they discussed the importance of both countries in bringing peace to the region.

The Egyptian Foreign Ministry said in a statement that Abdelatty stressed his country's support for the Syrian people and its legitimate aspirations, calling on all parties to "preserve Syria's national institutions, its unity and sovereignty."

Egypt's top diplomat also emphasized the importance that "the political process adopts an inclusive approach" for all Syrian national parties, reflecting the societal, religious, sectarian and ethnic diversity within Syria.

Both ministers agreed to stay in contact.