On Friday, April 14, 2023, the foreign ministers of Egypt, Iraq, Jordan, and the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) nations, including Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, agreed that the Arab world must take a leading role in brokering a solution to Syria’s war. The meeting was held in Jeddah at the invitation of Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan, with the aim of alleviating the isolation of Damascus.
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The statement released by the Saudi foreign ministry emphasised the significance of an Arab leadership role in resolving the crisis. The ministers’ collective assertion highlights the importance of finding a sustainable resolution to the Syrian conflict and the need for a coordinated effort in achieving that goal.
All about Syria’s isolation and signs of easing tensions
In 2011, protests erupted against President Bashar Al Assad’s rule in Syria, leading to a crackdown by his government. This resulted in Syria becoming largely isolated from the rest of the Arab world, with the Arab League suspending its membership and several Arab countries withdrawing their envoys from Damascus.
However, there has been a gradual easing of the Assad government’s isolation, particularly after the devastating earthquake that struck southern Turkey and northern Syria on February 6, leaving millions in need of assistance. Foreign ministers from various Arab nations traveled to Damascus to express their condolences to President Al Assad and offer humanitarian assistance to the victims of an earthquake. A considerable number of these individuals reside in the final rebel-controlled region located in the northwestern part of Syria.
Recently, there have been signs of further easing tensions with Damascus, despite western sanctions remaining in place due to the ongoing civil war. Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad traveled to Saudi Arabia for talks with Prince Faisal in Jeddah, marking the first visit of its kind since the war began. Over the past few weeks, there have been increased regional efforts to re-engage with Syria and reduce its isolation from the Arab world following its decades-long civil war.
The “step-for-step” approach, which aims to end the crisis and eventually allow Syria to rejoin the Arab League, is the basis of the Jordanian-inspired roadmap. The roadmap is crucial to addressing the humanitarian, security, and political consequences of the conflict. The official added that Jordan, which hosts 1.3 million Syrian refugees, is still reeling from the crisis and plays a vital role in the process.
The Jordanian-inspired roadmap is seen as crucial to addressing the humanitarian, security, and political consequences of the Syrian conflict, which has led to the deaths of hundreds of thousands of people, drawn in numerous foreign powers, and splintered the country.
Arab states’ shift towards Syria
Jordan was among the first Arab states to take issue with President Bashar Al Assad’s handling of the bloody conflict. After he regained control almost two years ago, Jordan stressed the need to break the stalemate in the conflict. In February, Foreign Minister Ayman Safadi visited Damascus and raised the peace plan with Assad, marking the first such visit by a senior Jordanian official since the Syrian conflict began.
As normalisation gathered momentum in the region following the devastating earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria, Abu Dhabi and Oman also received Assad despite being shunned by the West.
Saudi Arabia, which has long resisted normalisation with Assad, recently expressed the need for a new approach with Damascus, following a rapprochement with Iran, Syria’s key regional ally.
The Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad was also invited by Riyadh for talks, marking a historic visit. The two nations have come to an agreement to reopen their embassies in the near future. Jordan has shared this plan with its ally, Washington, as well as with significant European nations. One of the significant issues to be addressed is the safe return of millions of refugees who fled Syria. Many of them are apprehensive about returning, fearing reprisals.
Experts’ opinions
The importance of securing the backing of Western countries to resolve the crisis in Syria was emphasised by the officials. They stressed that the lifting of U.S. and European sanctions on Syria is crucial to facilitate extensive rebuilding of the country ravaged by war and address its pressing humanitarian requirements. The blueprint for resolution also includes national reconciliation, and that Damascus accounts for the fate of tens of thousands of missing individuals during the conflict. Western rights groups believe many of them have died in detention centres.
The presence of “sectarian militias,” referring to pro-Iranian Shi’ite militias led by Hezbollah, is a major concern for Jordan and Arab states. Syria must also take steps to stamp out the multi-billion dollar drug trafficking trade to Jordan and the Gulf from its southern borders, which both Amman and Riyadh claim pro-Iranian militias are behind. Syria denies any involvement.
A senior official stated that ending the crisis and restoring security and stability to Syria is essential for regional security.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud stated that there is a growing consensus in the Arab world that isolating Syria is not working and that dialogue with Damascus is needed, especially to address its humanitarian situation. However, he added that it is “too early to discuss” Syria’s return to the Arab League. Speaking to reporters in London, he emphasized that engagement to address the concerns is necessary, which may eventually lead to Syria’s return to the Arab League.
The top diplomats from the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) members Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the United Arab Emirates, along with those of Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan, met in Jeddah at the invitation of Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan. The ministers emphasized the “importance of having an Arab leadership role in efforts to end the crisis” and discussed “the necessary mechanisms for this role.” They also agreed to intensify “consultations among Arab countries to ensure the success of these efforts.”
What the meeting further discussed about?
The Saudi Foreign Ministry statement indicated that at the foreign ministers’ meeting, senior Arab diplomats reached a consensus on the significance of resolving the humanitarian crisis in Syria and establishing circumstances that would facilitate the return of refugees. The ministers also emphasized the importance of fighting terrorism in all its manifestations and groups, combatting drug trafficking and smuggling, and preserving Syria’s sovereignty over its territories through state institutions. They also stressed the need to end the presence of armed militias in Syria and prevent external interference in the nation’s internal affairs.
The meeting held in Jeddah is one among several diplomatic initiatives that have taken place recently. One such initiative was an agreement made last month between Saudi Arabia and Iran, a significant supporter of Mr Al Assad, to re-establish diplomatic relations after a seven-year gap. Another development was the exchange of almost 900 prisoners between the Iran-backed Houthi rebels and the government of Yemen’s civil war on Friday.
Additionally, the Saudi ambassador to Yemen visited Sanaa, the rebel-held capital, for talks with the Houthis on ending the destructive civil war, which has been ongoing since 2015. Furthermore, on Wednesday, Qatar and Bahrain agreed to restore relations, which were suspended during an Arab boycott of Doha from 2017 to 2021.
These diplomatic efforts have raised the possibility of Syria being re-admitted to the Arab League during a meeting in Saudi Arabia next month. However, consensus agreement on this matter is unlikely, according to an anonymous diplomat based in Riyadh. According to a report, the objective of the meeting is to mitigate as much as possible the divergence among Gulf nations regarding Syria, with a particular focus on Qatar’s potential opposition. The diplomat also stated that the Saudis are striving to ensure that Qatar does not raise any objections to Syria’s readmission to the Arab League in the event of a vote on the matter. However, Qatari Foreign Minister Sheikh Mohammed bin Abdulrahman dismissed talk of Syria’s readmission in a television interview on Thursday, stating that “there is nothing proposed; it is all speculation.”
