Arab League expects Syria’s return before Riyadh summit
DAMASCUS, Syria (North Press) – It is highly likely that Syria returns to the League before the next summit in Riyadh, said Secretary-General of the Arab League, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, on Thursday.
Aboul Gheit’s statement was made during an interview aired on the al-Sharq TV channel as he was asked whether he expected Syria’s return to the Arab League prior to the scheduled Arab summit in Riyadh on May 19.
Recently, Syria has attracted the attention of Arab government. Since the devastating February 6 earthquake, a number of regional states have pushed for rapprochement.
“Based on the activities, communications, follow-ups, and momentum I saw, Syria’s return is highly likely,” Aboul Ghait said.
On the precise mechanism of Syria’s return to the Arab League, he said, “It has to happen in phases … to begin with a meeting, then a discussion, and then consensus [among the members states of the League], after which they will extend an invitation to Syria.”
Aboul Gheit added, “Then Syria can come and participate in any ministerial meeting and return to all Arab League activities.”
On May 1, a final communiqué of the Foreign Ministers of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt, and Syria announced an agreement to work with the international community to “return the positive steps of the Syrian government with similar steps, and gradually work towards a political solution” to the Syrian crisis, and called to “support Damascus in an attempt to end the presence of armed and terrorist groups and counter-narcotics.”
The Arab League suspended Syria’s membership in 2011 as the Syrian war started.
Some countries have stepped up to normalize ties with Syria, which Turkey is already doing, while others, most notably the United States and the UK, oppose the rapprochement unless Syria takes steps towards a political solution.