Syria says 'mutual respect', 'dialogue' basis of new Arab relations
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The Syrian Arab Republic confirms the importance of collective joint action between Arab states to tackle common challenges.
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The Syrian Foreign Ministry building in Damascus, Syria (Sputnik)
The Syrian Foreign Ministry stressed on Sunday that an effective Arab approach on the bilateral and collective levels that is based on dialogue, respect, and common interests is the next step required to address common challenges facing Arab countries.
The Ministry's remarks come after the Council of the Arab League announced in an extraordinary meeting on Sunday readmitting the Syrian Arab Republic as a full member, 12 years after suspending its membership following the start of the war on the country.
The Arab countries must take "an effective approach based on mutual respect," the Foreign Ministry added in a statement, emphasizing the "importance of joint work and dialogue to undertake the challenges facing Arab countries."
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Damascus had received with interest the Council's decision to resume the participation of Syrian government delegations in the meetings of the body and its affiliated bodies, the statement read.
"Syria has followed the positive trends and interactions currently taking place in the Arab region, which it believes are in the interest of all Arab countries and in the interest of achieving stability, security, and prosperity for its [region's] people," the Ministry added.
"Syria, a founding member of the League of Arab States, renews its continuous position on the need to strengthen joint Arab action and cooperation."
In a statement to Al Mayadeen, the spokesperson of the Iraqi Foreign Ministry, Ahmad Al-Sahhaf, said, "This return is not only for Syria as a party, but rather a return to the path of collective Arab action," stressing that "the Syrian issue will be settled politically, through dialogue, and with continued Arab coordination and support."
For his part, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said, "All stages of the Syrian crisis have proven that there is no military solution to it," adding that "a political solution with exclusive Syrian ownership without external dictates" is the only way to settle the Syrian crisis.
The League's decision comes ten days ahead of a planned Arab summit in Saudi Arabia on May 19, with all eyes now focused on whether Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad will personally participate.
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The geopolitical shifts are taking place in the region despite strong opposition from Washington.
Last month, Vedant Patel, the principal deputy spokesperson for the State Department, said the United States does not currently think that Syria merits readmission to the League of Arab States.
