It comes against the backdrop of the raging war in Ukraine.
It comes against the backdrop of the raging war in Ukraine.
Syrian President Bashar Assad was in the United Arab Emirates on Friday, his office said, marking his first visit to an Arab country since the Syrian civil war in 2011.
In a statement posted to its social media pages, the office says Mr Assad met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President and Prime Minister of the United Arab Emirates and Ruler of Dubai.
The two discussed the expansion of bilateral ties between their countries, the statement said.
The visit offers the clearest sign yet that the Arab world is ready to reconnect with a Syrian president once widely shunned.
It comes against the background of raging war in ukraine While Mr Assad’s main ally, Russian President Vladimir Putin, is pressing with a military offensive, now in its fourth week, deadly fires are pouring down Ukrainian cities, including the capital Kyiv. Syria has supported Russia’s aggression, blaming the West for provoking it.
Syria was expelled from the 22-member Arab League and boycotted by its neighbors after the conflict began 11 years ago.
Hundreds of thousands have died in the war, which displaced half of Syria’s population.
Large parts of Syria have been destroyed and rebuilding will cost billions of dollars.
Arab and Western countries have generally blamed Mr Assad for his deadly crackdown on the 2011 protests, which developed into civil war, and supported the opposition in the early days of the conflict.
Asked about Mr. Assad’s visit to the United Arab Emirates, US State Department spokesman Ned Price said Washington was “deeply disappointed and upset by this apparent attempt to legitimize Bashar al-Assad, who has killed countless Syrians.” Responsible and accountable for death and suffering.” The displacement of more than half of the pre-war Syrian population, and the arbitrary detention and disappearance of more than 150,000 Syrian men, women and children. Mr Assad has rarely traveled outside the country during the Syrian civil war, visiting only Russia and Iran.
Tehran has given billions of dollars in aid to the Syrian government and sent Iran-backed fighters to war with its military – aid that, along with Russian air power, has helped turn the tide in Mr. Assad’s favor.
With the war falling into a stalemate and Mr Assad regaining control of much of the country thanks to military aid from his two allies, Arab countries have moved in recent years to restore ties with the Syrian leader.
The UAE reopened its embassy in Syria in late 2018 in the most significant Arab proposal to the Assad government, though relations remain cold.
Last fall, the Emirati foreign minister traveled to Damascus for a meeting with Mr. Assad, the first visit by the country’s top diplomat since 2011.
The United States, a close Emirati partner, criticized the visit at the time, saying it would not support any normalization with Mr Assad’s government.
A key objective of the proposal by Sunni Muslim countries in the Persian Gulf is to blunt the involvement of their Shia-led foe, Iran, which saw the rapid expansion of its influence in the chaos of the Syrian war.
However, reconciliation could serve both sides.
Syria desperately needs a boost to ties with the oil-rich countries as its economy is crippled by Western sanctions, strangling it and facing the task of post-war reconstruction.
The UAE is also home to thousands of Syrians who work in the Gulf Arab nation and send money to their relatives at home.
The UAE’s official WAM news agency said the country’s de facto ruler, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, welcomed Syrian Bashar al-Assad at his palace in Abu Dhabi.
At the meeting, Sheikh Mohamed expressed the hope that “this visit will be the beginning of peace and stability for Syria and the region as a whole.” The report said Mr Assad briefed Sheikh Mohammed about the latest developments in Syria and that the two leaders discussed mutual interests in the Arab world. Mr Assad was reported to have left the United Arab Emirates from Abu Dhabi later on Friday.
Sheikh Mohamed stressed to Mr Assad that Syria remains “a fundamental pillar of Arab security” and he hopes the UAE can facilitate its development.
The report said the leaders also discussed the importance of “preserving Syria’s territorial integrity and the withdrawal of foreign forces”.
A similar vague statement said Sheikh Mohammed of Dubai reaffirmed the UAE’s desire to “find new avenues of constructive cooperation” with Syria and made no reference to war.