Qatar says Syria's return to Arab League mere 'speculation'
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Qatari Prime Minister Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani stated on Thursday that media rumors concerning the likely resumption of Syria's membership in the Arab League (LAS) are still unconfirmed.
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Flags during the Arab League Summit in Algiers, Algeria on November 1, 2022. (Reuters)
Qatari Prime Minister Khalifa bin Hamad Al Thani stated on Thursday that media rumors concerning the likely resumption of Syria's membership in the Arab League (LAS) were unconfirmed.
Arab sources reported on Tuesday that the Gulf Cooperation Council is scheduled to meet on Friday to discuss Syria's reintegration into the Arab League.
During an interview with Qatar's broadcaster, the Prime Minister called Qatar's position "clear" on the matter, explaining that Syria's suspension came about for reasons and that those reasons still exist.
Syria's issue, according to the prime minister, should be settled politically.
A Qatari Foreign Ministry official confirmed to reporters in Doha that top Qatari diplomat Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al-Thani will attend the GCC conference on Syria, but that Qatar's position on its readmission remained unchanged.
Iraqi Foreign Ministry spokesperson Ahmed Al-Sahhaf told Sputnik on Wednesday that Iraq has always supported Syria's return to the LAS and continues to do so.
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According to sources, the League is currently split on the decision to re-include Syria's membership, with reports stating that Saudi Arabia and the UAE are trying to convince Qatar and Kuwait of its readmission before the May summit takes place.
According to the Saudi Al-Hadath broadcaster, the GCC meeting will include the foreign ministers of Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, who will all meet in the city of Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to hold discussions with Egypt, Iraq, and Jordan.
