The Syrian and Chinese presidents sign a strategic cooperation agreement

The Syrian and Chinese presidents sign a strategic cooperation agreement

    Friday, September 22, 2023   No comments

On Friday, Chinese President Xi Jinping and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad signed the Syrian-Chinese strategic cooperation agreement.

Chinese President Xi Jinping stressed that Beijing is ready to develop cooperation with Syria and jointly defend international justice under conditions of instability.

During his meeting with his Syrian counterpart, in the Chinese city of Khanzhou, Xi said that China and Syria are moving towards announcing the establishment of strategic partnership relations, adding that this will be an important turning point in the history of bilateral relations in the face of unstable international situations.

Xi confirmed that Syria is one of the first countries to establish relations with the new China, adding that it was one of the countries that proposed a draft resolution to restore China's seat in the United Nations.

The Chinese President stressed that Syrian-Chinese relations have withstood changes in international situations for 67 years, and the friendship between the two countries remains solid over time.

The Chinese President also announced his country's keenness to continuously make joint efforts to exchange firm support between the two countries and enhance cooperation between them to defend international justice and peace.

In turn, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad stated that his country looks forward to China's constructive role in the international arena and rejects all attempts to weaken this role.

Al-Assad expressed his happiness at visiting China, which stands with the just causes of peoples, based on the legal, humanitarian and moral principles that form the basis of Chinese policy in international forums and which are based on the independence of countries and respect for the will of the people.

Al-Assad pointed out that this visit is important in its timing and circumstances, as a multipolar world is forming today that will restore balance and stability to the world, and it is the duty of all of us to seize this moment for the sake of a bright and promising future.

The Syrian President thanked President Xi and the Chinese government for what it did to stand by the Syrian people in their cause and suffering, wishing the Chinese people more scientific, civilizational and humanitarian victories.

Yesterday, Chinese Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Mao Ning said in a press conference: “We believe that President Bashar al-Assad’s visit will lead to a deepening of mutual political trust and cooperation in various fields between the two countries, and the advancement of bilateral relations to new heights.”

The Syrian President arrived at Khanzhou Airport in China yesterday, Thursday, in his first official visit to the country in nearly two decades, at the invitation of his Chinese counterpart, Xi Jinping.

In 2021, Chinese Foreign Minister Wang Yi visited Damascus on an official visit to enhance cooperation between China and Syria. This was the first visit by a high-ranking Chinese official since the start of the war on Syria.

Chinese media. often reflecting the thinking of Chinese leaders, suggest that China's investment in Syria is likely to be in transportation and other infrastructure projects and that such investments will be protected from Western sanctions by using yuan for related transaction.

UK’s Special Forces have been deployed operationally in at least 19 countries since 2011, including the Muslim-majority countries of Algeria, Iran, Oman, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen

UK’s Special Forces have been deployed operationally in at least 19 countries since 2011, including the Muslim-majority countries of Algeria, Iran, Oman, Iraq, Libya, Mali, Nigeria, Pakistan, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, and Yemen

    Tuesday, May 23, 2023   No comments

Mapping of national and international credible newspapers, undertaken by research charity Action on Armed Violence, shows that, since 2011,  UK Special Forces (UKSF) have been primed to contact or surveil hostile forces in Algeria, Estonia, France, Iran/Oman (Strait of Hormuz), Iraq, Kenya, Libya, Mali, Mediterranean (Cyprus), Nigeria, Pakistan, Philippines, Russia, Somalia, Sudan, Syria, Ukraine and Yemen.

There are a further six sites where UKSF have trained foreign forces or where they have based themselves before launching into another country. These are: Burkina Faso, Oman, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Turkey, and Djibouti. There are also another seven locations, not included in the above lists, known to be used by UKSF for their own exercises and engagements. These are: Albania, Falklands, Gibraltar, Belize, Brunei, Malaysia, and Canada, although there are likely to be far more.

In addition, the UKSF operate in England, Wales, Scotland and Northern Ireland. These four countries are not included.

If all countries where the UK SF were reported operational (including training and in the UK itself) were added together, there would be 36 nations where such troops have been sent.

Reported UK Special Forces (UKSF) missions in Ukraine, Syria, Yemen, the Strait of Hormuz between Iran and Oman and Libya demonstrate that British soldiers are regularly sent to engage in international conflicts without any parliamentary approval around UK involvement beforehand.

In the case of Syria, parliament explicitly voted against sending in troops in 2013. Yet there have been dozens of UKSF missions reported in the press in the past decade.

A decade of operations around the globe has thrown up some controversies.

Did Syria return to the Arab League or did the Arab League return to Syria?

Did Syria return to the Arab League or did the Arab League return to Syria?

    Sunday, May 07, 2023   No comments

After a long absence for years, Syria regained its seat in the League of Arab States, after an extraordinary meeting held by the Arab League Council at the level of foreign ministers in Cairo.

The League of Arab States decided to resume the participation of the Syrian government delegations in its meetings, and all its affiliated organizations and agencies, as of May 7, 2023.

It also called for the need to take practical and effective steps to gradually resolve the crisis according to the principle of step by step, in line with Security Council Resolution No. 2254 to continue efforts that allow the delivery of humanitarian aid to all those in need in Syria.

It also demanded the formation of a ministerial liaison committee consisting of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt and the Secretary-General of the League, to follow up on the implementation of the Amman Agreement, and to continue direct dialogue with Damascus to reach a comprehensive solution to the crisis that addresses all its consequences.

In turn, Damascus received with interest the decision issued by the Arab League meeting, and stressed that the positive interactions currently taking place in the Arab region are in the interest of all Arab countries, and in the interest of achieving stability, security and prosperity for their peoples.

The return of Syria is a political necessity imposed by reality

The League of Arab States suspended Damascus' membership in November 2011 with the approval of 18 countries, and three countries objected: Syria, Lebanon and Yemen. Iraq abstained from voting at the time, and the Arab countries imposed political and economic sanctions on Damascus at the time, following Syria's stances towards the war imposed on it.

Several countries, especially during the first years of the war, provided support to the armed opposition. Even during an Arab summit in Doha in 2013, a delegation from the Syrian opposition coalition participated, for once, as a “representative” of the Syrian people.

Today, with the victory of Syria and the recovery of most of its lands with the support of regional and international allies, and the failure of the opposition to manage the Syrian file at all levels, as the opposition parties managed the files based on their narrow interests.

Likewise, the international community, led by the United States of America, failed to overthrow the government in Syria, as the Syrian crisis has become one of the most difficult foreign files for the American administrations (Obama, Trump and Biden administrations).

Earlier, the Lebanese newspaper, Al-Akhbar, reported that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad told Arab leaders and mediators, saying that "Damascus is the one who has the right to forgive countries and groups that were major parties in the war and partners in Arab bloodshed. It would be wrong for anyone to think about Syria is ready to talk to any country about its internal situation, as there is no room for any negotiation on the internal Syrian issue.

Today, the decision of the League of Arab States came to end the failed attempts to isolate Syria, based on the political necessity that was enshrined in the changing reality, especially that Syria is today looking forward to rebuilding what was destroyed by the war.

The path of Arab openness

With the change in field equations, since 2018, indications of Arab openness, albeit slowly, towards Syria have emerged, beginning with the reopening of the UAE embassy in Damascus.

However, it seems that the devastating earthquake that struck Syria and neighboring Turkey in February 2023 accelerated the process of resuming the regional relations with Damascus, as Assad received a flood of contacts and aid from several Arab countries, even Saudi Arabia and the UAE sent aid planes, which was the first of its kind. Since cutting ties with Damascus.

Last March, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad visited the UAE and the Sultanate of Oman to enhance cooperation and coordination to serve stability and development in the region.

Shortly thereafter, Riyadh announced in March that it was in talks with Damascus about resuming consular services.

On April 18, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan met the Syrian president during the first official Saudi visit to Damascus since the boycott.

Also during the month of April, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal al-Miqdad visited several Arab countries, including Egypt, Tunisia, Jordan, Algeria and Saudi Arabia. During the tour, Tunisia announced the resumption of relations with Damascus.

Likewise, Jordan hosted a meeting of the foreign ministers of Syria, Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq and Egypt at the beginning of the week, and it was agreed to "support Syria and its institutions in any legitimate efforts to extend its control over its lands."

The return of Syria comes after developments in the Arab and regional scene

Regarding the political changes that took place that prompted the Arabs to return to Syria, the deputy director of the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, Ayman Abdel-Wahhab, told Al-Mayadeen Net that Syria's return to the League of Arab States can be read within the framework of developments in the general Arab and regional scene, and specifically it is possible to talk about the Saudi rapprochement file - Iran, developments in the internal field situation in Syria, as well as growing indications of the importance of Syria's Arab embrace.

Abdel Wahhab pointed out that the growing visions of many influential regional powers with Arab weight regarding the importance of Syria's return to the League of Arab States does not negate the existence of some reservations from some Arab parties to this return.

He pointed out that "Syria's return to the Arab arena will represent an important factor in the balance of power, and in favoring some political indicators concerned with increasing the areas of inter-Arab interaction and cooperation.

The Arab parties will gradually return to Syria

As for how to translate the return of Syria from a political point of view to the Arab arena, Ayman Abdel Wahhab said that the return of Syria will be reflected in a positive direction for some Arab forces that support the concept of the national state and promote stability in the region.

In March 2013, Qatar invited an opposition figure
to take Syria's seat at the Arab League Summit.

Abdel Wahhab explained that a number of Arab parties will gradually return to Syria, especially with the return of stability and Syrian interaction with Arab issues.

He pointed out that Syria has a strategic weight equal to that of Iraq and Egypt, and this will greatly help in presenting some issues from a different perspective, and will be reflected in many files in the region.

Washington does not welcome the return of Syria

Today, the US State Department stated that "Damascus does not deserve to regain its seat in the League of Arab States at this stage," commenting on the League's decision to end the suspension of Syria's membership in it and to resume the participation of its delegations.

Regarding the American position, Ayman Abdel Wahhab, deputy director of the Al-Ahram Center for Political and Strategic Studies, said that the American reservations will remain, at least in the early stages, as Washington is not welcome to return.

Abdel Wahhab added that the entanglement of the situation in Syria has repercussions, whether in the direction of "Israel", or even with regard to the Russian presence and its association, albeit indirectly, with the Ukrainian file.

And he added, "The Israeli intervention, whether in the Syrian or Ukrainian file, has intersections that may seem indirect, but in reality it will be reflected on the nature of Russian-Israeli relations on the one hand, and on the position of the major powers on the Syrian file, especially in light of the region's re-engineering at this time." ".

The Arab countries have no choice but to return to Syria, as the journey of its isolation that began in 2011 ended in failure. Those who wanted to pay Syria a price for resuming contact with it returned to resuming relations with it. President al-Assad told all the Arab officials he met that he was not in a hurry to return to the university. Arab, but he is ready to regulate bilateral relations with Arab countries without any conditions.

Bloomberg: The Arab League's decision regarding Syria reflects the decline of American influence

The American agency "Bloomberg" said that the Arab League's decision to ignore American reservations about Syria's restoration of its seat reflects the decline of America's influence in the region.

In a report published earlier today, the agency indicated a growing willingness among allies to forge their own political path and build stronger strategic relations with US opponents.

Hours ago, the US State Department stated that Washington "understands that the partners are seeking direct contact with the Syrian president to put more pressure towards a solution to the Syrian crisis."

The agency also indicated that what happened "may also be a victory for Iran and Russia, which have supported Syrian President Bashar al-Assad militarily but need regional assistance to rehabilitate him diplomatically, and ultimately help rebuild a war-torn country that has displaced millions."

The Wall Street Journal: The Arab decision on Syria represents a rejection of Washington's interests

The American Wall Street Journal reported, on Sunday, that "the decision to return Syria to the Arab League represents a rejection of US interests in the region."

The newspaper said that the Arab leaders agreed to "return Syria to the League of Arab States after more than a decade of isolation," explaining that this matter complicates the American efforts to isolate Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and indicates the decline of American influence in the Middle East.

"This decision also shows that Middle Eastern countries are formulating policies independent of Western concerns," it added.

Qatar acknowledges that it is vetoing Syria's return to the Arab League

Qatar acknowledges that it is vetoing Syria's return to the Arab League

    Wednesday, March 29, 2023   No comments

Qatar affirmed that it has not changed its position on the move to return Syria to the Arab League, noting that it “will not normalize relations with the Syrian regime until the reasons that called for boycotting it are gone.”

Yesterday, Tuesday, the official spokesman for the Qatari Ministry of Foreign Affairs, Majid Al-Ansari, said that “there is still no Arab consensus on the return of the Syrian regime to the Arab League, and the State of Qatar deals with this issue as one of the priorities of Arab issues, so the Arab consensus in it is of interest, and even There is this consensus, which comes as a result of positive developments on the Syrian scene that we do not see before us.

Al-Ansari stressed the “steadfastness of the Qatari position,” saying, “We believe that there will be no change in the Qatari position. Our position is clear and stable and is not affected by what is going on in the scene unless there are real developments inside Syria in a way that satisfies the aspirations of the Syrian people, or there is a built Arab consensus.” On these positive developments inside Syria, but at the present time there is no reason for optimism about the nearness of normalization with the Syrian regime and its return to the Arab League.

He affirmed Qatar's welcome and support for Arab efforts in the framework of finding a solution to the Syrian crisis, stressing that this solution must be based on positive developments and a real response to popular demands, and that there should be no "betrayal of bloodshed" to achieve these aspirations, he said.

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrives in the UAE on a surprise official visit, and meets his Emirati counterpart, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrives in the UAE on a surprise official visit, and meets his Emirati counterpart, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan

    Sunday, March 19, 2023   No comments

Today, Sunday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrived in the UAE on an official visit, where he met his Emirati counterpart, Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan.

The Syrian presidency stated, in a statement, that President al-Assad arrived "this afternoon in the United Arab Emirates on an official visit, during which he is accompanied by First Lady Asma al-Assad."

She added, "He was received upon his arrival at the presidential airport in Abu Dhabi, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates," noting that they went to the Al-Watan Palace in the capital, Abu Dhabi, to start the talks.

In turn, UAE President Mohamed bin Zayed said, "We held constructive talks with the Syrian president to support and develop brotherly relations for the benefit of the two countries."

"We are working to strengthen cooperation and coordination with Damascus on issues that serve stability and development," Mohammed bin Zayed added.

The delegation of the accompanying Syrian president included Minister of Economy and Foreign Trade Samer Khalil, Minister of Presidential Affairs Mansour Azzam, Minister of Information Boutros Hallaq, Assistant Foreign Minister Ayman Sousan, and Chargé d'Affaires of the Syrian Embassy in Abu Dhabi Ghassan Abbas.

It is noteworthy that the Emirati Foreign Minister, Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, visited the Syrian capital, Damascus, on the 12th of last February, in the first visit by a prominent foreign official, in the aftermath of the devastating earthquake that struck the north of the country on the 6th of the same month.

Turkey's ruling party considers Assad's conditions to meet Erdogan "inappropriate"

Turkey's ruling party considers Assad's conditions to meet Erdogan "inappropriate"

    Friday, March 17, 2023   No comments

A member of the Central Decision and Implementation Authority of the Turkish "Justice and Development" Party, Orhan Miri Oglu, confirmed today, Friday, that Damascus' conditions regarding negotiations between Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan are "inappropriate" to normalize relations between the two countries, pointing to the possibility of holding a meeting between them after the elections. Turkish presidential and parliamentary elections scheduled for May 14.

"Al-Assad demands Turkey to withdraw from Syrian territory as a condition for normalizing relations with Turkey. It is not permissible to raise the ceiling of demands in diplomatic relations with the start of the talks if the negotiating parties intend to reconcile, understand and find a solution to the differences," Merioglu said in an interview with "Sputnik" agency.

He continued, "Al-Assad's start to set preconditions for talks with Turkey gives the latter the right to demand that Damascus stop supporting the Syrian Democratic Forces."

He added, "The possibility of a meeting between Erdogan and Assad before the Turkish elections is very low. As for their meeting after the elections, it will become clear according to the results and balances of the elections."

Yesterday, Thursday, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad said from Russia that "there is no disagreement between the Syrian and Turkish peoples, and the problem lies in the private ambitions of Turkish politicians."

Commenting on the possibility of meeting Erdogan, al-Assad affirmed that the priority is in "the withdrawal of illegal foreign forces, i.e. Turkish and American," noting that "Erdogan's priority is the elections and nothing else. As for Syria, the priority is the withdrawal and restoration of sovereignty."

And the Syrian president added that if the conditions are met, "there is no specific date for Erdogan's meeting, it may be today or tomorrow, and the timing is not a problem."

Last November, Erdogan hinted at the possibility of reconsidering relations with Damascus after the 2023 elections in Turkey, saying: "We can reconsider our relations with the countries with which we face problems, after the elections."

Likewise, the Turkish president said that he is "ready to meet Syrian President Bashar al-Assad when the time comes," and he confirmed earlier that "low-level talks with the Syrian side are still on the way."