Al Mayadeen English

  • Ar
  • Es
  • x
Al Mayadeen English

Slogan

  • News
    • Politics
    • Economy
    • Sports
    • Arts&Culture
    • Health
    • Miscellaneous
    • Technology
    • Environment
  • Articles
    • Opinion
    • Analysis
    • Blog
    • Features
  • Videos
    • NewsFeed
    • Video Features
    • Explainers
    • TV
    • Digital Series
  • Infographs
  • In Pictures
  • • LIVE
News
  • Politics
  • Economy
  • Sports
  • Arts&Culture
  • Health
  • Miscellaneous
  • Technology
  • Environment
Articles
  • Opinion
  • Analysis
  • Blog
  • Features
Videos
  • NewsFeed
  • Video Features
  • Explainers
  • TV
  • Digital Series
Infographs
In Pictures
  • Africa
  • Asia
  • Asia-Pacific
  • Europe
  • Latin America
  • MENA
  • Palestine
  • US & Canada
BREAKING
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: Four fetuses and three premature babies died at Nasser Medical Complex due to malnutrition
Lebanese Ministry of Health: One person was killed in an Israeli airstrike on a car in the town of Burj Qalawieh, south Lebanon.
Al Mayadeen correspondent: The first ship of the Maghreb fleet delivering aid to break the siege on Gaza departs from the port of Gammarth in Tunisia.
Channel 12: Airspace closed at Ramon Airport due to fears of drone infiltration
IOF Spokesperson: Sirens sounded over an aircraft infiltration in the Bir Ora area, and details are being examined
Drone infiltration sirens sound north of the Gulf of Aqaba
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out five extremely violent raids on the western areas of Gaza City
Al Mayadeen's correspondent in Gaza: The Israeli occupation carried out major bombings in the Gaza Strip, the most violent since October 7
Yemeni Armed Forces spokesperson Brigadier General Yahya Saree: The missile force carried out a major operation using the Palestine 2 ballistic hypersonic missile, hitting several targets in occupied Yafa.
Sirens sound in large areas of occupied Palestine after a missile launch from Yemen was detected

Saudi Arabia, UAE try to lobby EU countries to restore ties with Syria

  • By Al Mayadeen English
  • Source: Bloomberg
  • 15 Jun 2023 15:16
3 Min Read

Bloomberg reports that Saudi and Emirati officials are lobbying Europeans to lift sanctions on the country.

  • x
  • King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al-Saud speaks to the Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al-Saud ahead of the opening of Gulf Cooperation Council meeting, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 14 2012. (AP)
    King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud speaks to Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud ahead of the opening of the Gulf Cooperation Council meeting, Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, May 14, 2012. (AP)

Saudi Arabia and the United Arab Emirates (UAE) are actively lobbying European countries to restore diplomatic ties with the Syrian government and ease sanctions on the country, according to Bloomberg.

The report says officials have been mobilizing at various levels with their European counterparts in the European Union for several months.

Diplomats of the two Gulf countries have tried to convince EU officials that lifting the sanctions imposed on Damascus is an integral part of any solution to the Syrian crisis, adding that diplomatic moves will not suffice if sanctions remain.  

Bloomberg reported that the delegates argued that an economic recovery would encourage millions of Syrian refugees to return home, thereby elevating the strain on neighboring Lebanon and Jordan, which have been hosting refugees since the start of the war on Syria.

Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman's current visit to France, where he is scheduled to meet with President Emmanuel Macron, is expected to touch on Middle Eastern and international topics, but it is unclear whether Syria will be a specific focus.

Despite the lobbying efforts by Saudi Arabia and the UAE, key EU nations, such as France and Germany, have already ruled out restoring ties with Syria.

Related News

IOF encroach on Quneitra, set up checkpoint, arrest youth

Cautious calm in Sweida after ceasefire breach reported

"Let me be clear — the conditions are not in place for the EU to change its policy on Syria," EU foreign-policy chief Josep Borrell claimed at a Syria donors conference in Brussels, Belgium.

Borrell said such a step would necessitate that the Syrian government implement political reforms and adhere to United Nations resolutions.

GCC returns to Syria 

The reported diplomatic mobilization by Saudi Arabia and the UAE in the EU circles comes after the countries' relations with the Syrian Arab Republic improved significantly leading to the resumption of economic and diplomatic activity, as well as Syria's readmission into the Arab League. 

In his speech at the 32nd Arab Summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, the Syrian President said, "It is a historic opportunity to rearrange our [Arab] affairs with minimum foreign interference, which requires repositioning ourselves in this emerging world so that we can become active members of its order. This requires investing in the positive atmosphere arising from the reconciliations that preceded the summit."

Indeed, after the conclusion of the summit, Syrian-Saudi relations continued to improve as Saudi Prime Minister MBS met with the Syrian President and discussed bilateral relations between the two countries and developments in the Arab region.

This was followed up by a statement from the Ministerial Council of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), on June 11, which "affirmed its firm positions toward preserving the territorial integrity of the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic, respecting its independence and sovereignty over its lands."

In a statement published on its website, the Ministerial Council expressed its rejection of regional interference in Syria's "internal affairs, and supporting a political solution to the Syrian crisis in accordance with relevant United Nations resolutions."

Furthermore, the council underlined the importance of "continuing and supporting all efforts aimed at helping Syria overcome its crisis, and the need to take practical and effective steps to gradually resolve the Syrian crisis."

  • Syria
  • United Arab Emirates
  • Gulf Cooperation Council
  • GCC
  • Damascus
  • UAE
  • Mohammad Bin Salman
  • EU
  • Bashar al-Assad
  • Saudi Arabia
  • European Union
  • MBS

Most Read

The damaged building in the Katara neighborhood, Doha, Qatar, September 9, 2025 (Social media)

Hamas delegation survives Israeli assassination attempt in Qatar

  • Politics
  • 9 Sep 2025
Pro-"Israel" conservative Charlie Kirk shot during Utah speech

American far-right activist Charlie Kirk shot dead during Utah speech

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025
Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza.

Uprising against Volker Turk at the Human Rights Council over Gaza

  • Politics
  • 12 Sep 2025
A screengrab from the ad played on Fox News. (X Screengrab)

Fox airs ad warning Trump not to let Netanyahu 'play' him on Gaza

  • US & Canada
  • 11 Sep 2025

Coverage

All
The Ummah's Martyrs

Read Next

All
Australia warned of deadly climate risks in landmark report
Environment

Millions at risk from rising seas, extreme heat in Australia: Report

DPRK leader Kim Jong Un inspects a new weapons factory in undisclosed location, Democratic People's Republic of Korea, August 31, 2025 (AP)
Politics

DPRK defies US, says nuclear state status 'permanently enshrined'

Soldier F faces trial over bloody Sunday killings after 53 years
Miscellaneous

British Soldier F faces trial over Bloody Sunday killings after 53 yrs

Pro-Palestinian protesters demonstrate at the University of Sydney to protest the Israel Hamas war, Wednesday, April 24, 2024 (AP)
Politics

Protest outside ABC decries media silence on Gaza journalist killings

Al Mayadeen English

Al Mayadeen is an Arab Independent Media Satellite Channel.

All Rights Reserved

  • x
  • Privacy Policy
  • About Us
  • Contact Us
  • Authors
Android
iOS