Saudi Arabia, Canada announce restoring diplomatic ties
QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Canada and Saudi Arabia announced on Wednesday that they had agreed to restore full diplomatic ties and appointed new ambassadors, bringing an end to 2018 dispute between the two countries.
The foreign ministries of both countries issued statements, announcing that the decision of restoring ties came after holding discussions between the Canadian Prime Minister Justin Trudeau and the Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman on the sidelines of the summit of the Asia-Pacific Economic Cooperation (APEC) Forum in Bangkok in November 2022.
Canada appointed Jean-Philippe Linteau as a new ambassador to Saudi Arabia.
In 2018, Saudi Arabia expelled Canada’s ambassador to the kingdom and withdrew its own ambassador after Canada’s foreign ministry, Global Affairs Canada, tweeted support for women’s right activists who had been arrested. The Saudis also sold Canadian investments and ordered their citizens studying in Canada to leave. The activists have since been released.
Syria and Saudi Arabia announced in April the resumption of consular services and flights between the two countries towards boosting diplomatic relations.
In March, following five rounds of preliminary negotiations in Iraq and Oman, and following days of intensive talks in Beijing, Iran and Saudi Arabia agreed to thaw relations and open their embassies in each other’s country.