Showing posts with label Syria. Show all posts
Showing posts with label Syria. Show all posts

Friday, September 22, 2023

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.

Sunday, September 03, 2023

Amir Abdollahian receives Hakan Fidan: Research on bilateral and regional issues, preparation for a trilateral summit of Iran-Saudi Arabia-Turkiye is underway

    Sunday, September 03, 2023   No comments

Today, Sunday, Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian received his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan, who is on his first visit to Tehran since taking office.

The two ministers, well versed in security backgrounds, met in a private meeting that lasted about an hour and a half, before extensive discussions were held between the two delegations.

Fidan is scheduled to hold talks with several Iranian officials as well. The Fars news agency reported yesterday that Fidan will hold talks in Tehran with Iranian officials on regional and international issues of common concern.

A statement by the Turkish Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Amir Abdollahian had previously invited Fidan to visit Iran, noting that the important visit comes to discuss more bilateral cooperation in various fields, as well as to discuss regional and international developments.

It pointed out that Fidan's visit to Tehran comes two days after his visit to Moscow and his meeting with his Russian counterpart, Sergey Lavrov, and another visit to Iraq.

Iran and Turkey have economic and political relations, despite their differing positions on a number of files, especially on the conflict in Syria and relations with Azerbaijan, Iran's neighbor.


Iranian Foreign Minister Hossein Amir Abdollahian confirmed today, Sunday, that he had discussed with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan the agreements signed between Tehran and Ankara, confirming their implementation.

During a press conference with his Turkish counterpart in Tehran, Amir Abdollahian hoped to reach an agreement with Ankara regarding the exchange of prisoners (between Tehran and the United States of America via Turkey).

He indicated that he discussed with Fidan the issue of water scarcity (after the dam crisis between Turkey and Iran), and the two parties agreed that the Joint Technical Committee would visit Tehran for a new round of talks.


Amir Abdullahian stressed that the Israeli entity in the region will only bring strife and division among Islamic countries and destabilize the region.


On the issue of the Caucasus, the Iranian foreign minister said that Tehran would not accept any geographical change of the borders in the transit region in the Caucasus, and he appreciated Turkey's constructive positions in the field of borders with Syria and the return of refugees to their countries.


Amir Abdollahian added that Iran and Turkey planned for trade exchange between the two countries at a value of 30 billion euros, considering the corridors in the field of transport and transit in the region as complementary to cooperation between the two countries.


Amir Abdullahian revealed that work is underway to hold a tripartite meeting between Ankara, Riyadh and Tehran, to support economic relations, pointing out that the meeting comes at the request of Saudi Arabia.


For his part, Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan described the Turkish-Iranian relations as "historic", thanking Iran for what it provided to Turkey after the catastrophe of the earthquake that struck Syria and Turkey last February.

Fidan said that he had exchanged views with the Iranian side on combating terrorist organizations.

Today, Sunday, Amir Abdollahian received, at the Foreign Ministry's headquarters, his Turkish counterpart, Hakan Fidan, who is making his first visit to Tehran since taking office.


The two ministers met in a private meeting that lasted about an hour and a half, before extensive discussions were held between the two delegations.

Keeping our readers informed about the most consequential events in this fast changing worldManage your Subscription; invite a friend to subscribe to ISR’s Weekly Review Bulletin


Friday, September 01, 2023

Days before a meeting between Putin and Erdogan in Sochi, Russia starts delivering grain to 6 African countries without charge

    Friday, September 01, 2023   No comments

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced the start of work to deliver grain to 6 African countries free of charge. This comes after a meeting with his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan in the capital, Moscow, on Thursday, to discuss President Vladimir Putin's initiative to export one million tons of grain to poor countries.

Lavrov added - in a speech at the Moscow Institute of International Relations today - that work on the supply of grain to 6 African countries has already begun, explaining that Burkina Faso, the Central African Republic, Eritrea, Mali, Somalia and Zimbabwe will receive 50,000 tons of grain for free in the coming months.

"You will also pay the relevant expenses," the Russian foreign minister added.

Putin announced on July 27 that his country would provide grain free of charge to 6 African countries within 3 or 4 months, after Moscow suspended work on the grain transportation agreement with Ukraine across the Black Sea.


Lavrov discussed with his Turkish counterpart - during talks that took place between them in Moscow yesterday - Putin's initiative to export one million tons of grain to Turkey for later transfer, with the participation of Qatar, to poor countries.


Moscow withdrew in July from this important agreement for global food supplies, and criticized in particular the obstruction of its grain exports due to Western sanctions.


"We reiterated our conviction that the resumption of the agreement will allow for the restoration of stability," Fidan said during a press conference with his Russian counterpart.


He added that the grain deal is of vital importance to global food security, considering that a package of proposals prepared in cooperation with the United Nations constitutes an appropriate basis for resuming the initiative.


For his part, Lavrov demanded guarantees from the West that his country would also be allowed to export grain and fertilizer without hindrance. Moscow will be ready to return the grain deal, which it withdrew from in mid-July.


It is noteworthy that dozens of commercial ships have been stuck in the ports of Ukraine on the Black Sea since the start of Russia's war on this country on February 24, 2022, and some ships carrying grain were allowed to cross, according to an agreement mediated by Ankara and the United Nations, but Moscow suspended it in mid-July.


The meeting between Ministers Lavrov and Fidan aims to prepare for a meeting between Putin and his Turkish counterpart Recep Tayyip Erdogan in Sochi the day after tomorrow, according to the Kremlin today.

Saudi Arabia informed us that the Jeddah meeting was held to convince everyone of the futility of negotiations without Moscow, and there will be no joint G20 declaration that does not express our position and the roadmap for normalizing Syrian-Turkish relations under study. ~ Lavrov 

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov announced that Saudi Arabia had notified Russia that the Jeddah meeting was held to convince everyone of the futility of negotiations without Moscow.

Lavrov said in this regard: “Our Saudi friends told us that they want to host another meeting in this way in Jeddah,” adding that this is done only in order to convey an idea to the Western participants and Ukraine itself that any discussions are completely hopeless without the participation of Russia.

Lavrov added, during a speech he delivered to students and faculty at the Russian Diplomatic University, on the occasion of the start of the academic year: “Moscow has learned of the appeal made to the Secretary-General of the United Nations, Anthony Guterres, to send his representatives to online working group meetings on the “peace formula” that he put forward. Vladimir Zelensky".

In this context, Lavrov stressed that this is unacceptable, saying: “I saw Mr. Guterres in Johannesburg, on the sidelines of the BRICS summit, and I frankly told him that this violates all the principles of the secretariat’s work, because according to the Charter, it should be neutral and should not be To receive instructions from any government.”

Lavrov said that the draft roadmap for the normalization of Syrian-Turkish relations is under study, and that contacts are under way to reach a generally acceptable situation.


Lavrov added, in a speech he delivered at the Moscow Institute of International Relations on the occasion of the start of the academic year in Russia, “We handed over the draft road map on the normalization of Syrian-Turkish relations to all our colleagues in June of this year. It is now under study, and contacts are underway regarding it.

Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov met his Turkish counterpart Hakan Fidan yesterday in Moscow, where they held discussions on a number of issues, including the resumption of the grain deal, bilateral relations, the Syrian file and the Ukrainian crisis.

It is worth noting that, in December of last year, Russia hosted the first talks in 11 years between the defense ministers of Turkey and Syria, and last May it hosted a quartet meeting that included the foreign ministers of Syria, Turkey, Iran and Russia, in an effort to remove the differences between Damascus and Ankara.

On the other hand, he announced, today, Friday, that his country will not agree to adopt the declaration of the “G20” summit unless it reflects Russia’s position on global crises.

Lavrov pointed out that "the West raises the issue of Ukraine in every event of the G20, although the role of the G20 is initially supposed to make decisions regarding the stability of global financial and economic processes."

Lavrov said, speaking at the Moscow State University of International Relations, on the occasion of the start of the new academic year: “If you have decided to rewrite the powers of the “twenty”, and you want to deal with international crises, then we have presented our document that lists the conflicts that still exist and their roots are linked to the wars that they sparked. The West, if they really want to, let us discuss everything, but this would duplicate the work of the United Nations and undermine the original role of the G20.

Lavrov stressed, by saying: "In any case, there will be no joint declaration in the name of all members that does not express our position, there will be no such declaration."

Keeping our readers informed about the most consequential events in this fast changing worldManage your Subscription; invite a friend to subscribe to ISR’s Weekly Review Bulletin


Saturday, May 20, 2023

Arab League Summit Welcomes Syrian President Back and receives statements from Russia and China

    Saturday, May 20, 2023   No comments

The work of the 32nd regular session of the Arab Summit took place in the Saudi city of Jeddah, Friday, in the presence of a number of Arab leaders and leaders.


Arab leaders and heads of delegations participating in the summit took a group photo before the start of the opening session.

Likewise, the Syrian "SANA" agency reported that Syrian President Bashar al-Assad shook hands with the Emir of Qatar, Sheikh Tamim bin Hamad Al Thani, before entering the summit hall, and that was followed by a side conversation between them.

After 13 years of absence, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad returned today, Friday, to participate in the Arab summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia.

In turn, the Algerian Prime Minister, Ayman bin Abdel Rahman, welcomed Syria's return to the Arab League. Abdel Rahman renewed his full solidarity with the Palestinian people, calling on "the international community to stop the systematic attacks against it."


He expressed the détente of Arab relations with Turkey and Iran, calling on the international community to put an end to the Israeli settlement policy.


Abdul Rahman added, "There are indications of the emergence of a new multipolar world order at the expense of the unipolar one."


He pointed out that "the role of the Arab League must be activated and the reform process in the Arab League must be accelerated."


After the speech of the Algerian Prime Minister, Ayman bin Abdel Rahman, Algeria handed Saudi Arabia the presidency of the thirty-second Arab summit.


Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman said, "We are pleased with the presence of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad at the Arab summit."


Bin Salman hoped that Syria's return to the Arab League would contribute to achieving stability in it and resolving its crisis.


On Sudan, Ibn Salman hoped that the language of dialogue would prevail between the Sudanese parties.


And he added, "The Palestinian issue was and still is the central issue of the Arabs."


The Jeddah Summit is an opportunity to restore Arab issues

For his part, the Secretary-General of the League of Arab States, Ahmed Aboul Gheit, welcomed the agreement between Saudi Arabia and Iran.


Aboul Gheit pointed out that "the Jeddah Summit is an opportunity to restore Arab issues that were left to others a long time ago."


The Jordanian king welcomes the return of Syria

Jordan's King Abdullah II said, "The Palestinian issue remains the center of our attention, and peace cannot be achieved with the continued construction of settlements."


Jordan's King Abdullah II repeatedly warned against the continuation of the Syrian crisis without reaching a solution, welcoming Syria's return to the university as a first step to resolving the crisis.


Al-Sisi calls for a solution to the Sudanese crisis

Egyptian President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi said, "Relying on our own capabilities to resolve important issues has become necessary."


Al-Sisi added, "Egypt is continuing its efforts to stabilize the truce in Gaza."


He added, "If the Sudanese crisis is not resolved, it will have a negative impact on the region."


Al-Sisi indicated that "Syria's return to the Arab League is a step to activate the role of the League."


Bahrain's King Hamad bin Khalifa Al Thani welcomed "Arab efforts to crystallize an Arab regional system."


For his part, the representative of the African Union at the Arab Summit said, "The solution in Sudan will not be military."


"The adventure of violence in Sudan threatens the entire region with fragmentation," he added.


The Secretary General of the Organization of Islamic Cooperation, Amin Hussein Taha, looked forward to intensifying cooperation between the Organization and the Arab League in many fields.



Saeid: Together, we have the potential to achieve what we want

In a speech during the Arab summit, Tunisian President Kais Said said that the brothers in Palestine are still offering daily martyrs for the sake of liberation from the Zionist occupation in light of the suspicious silence of many capitals.


Saeed refused that the Arab countries would "once again be victims of a new world order," stressing, "We do not participate in its establishment and arrangement."


The Tunisian president refused that his country be "in an alliance against another."


He welcomed Syria's return to the Arab League after thwarting the plot aimed at fragmenting it, pointing out that "we collectively have the capabilities that enable us to achieve what we want, as we are advocates of freedom, peace and peace for the entire nation."


The President of Djibouti, Ismail Omar Guelleh, called for international protection for the Palestinian people.


The President of Somalia, Hassan Sheikh Mahmoud, welcomed the return of Syria to the League of Arab States, calling for an end to the events in Sudan.



The Crown Prince of Kuwait affirms the preservation of the unity and sovereignty of Syria

Kuwaiti Crown Prince Sheikh Mishaal Al-Ahmad said that he feels "optimism about the signs of détente in the region, including the understanding between Saudi Arabia and Iran," reiterating his support for the decision of the Arab League Council and the statement issued in the Jeddah and Amman meetings.


The Crown Prince of Kuwait affirmed his country's position calling for preserving the unity and sovereignty of Syria, adding: "We affirm our firm and supportive position for the rights of our Palestinian people, and we call on the international community to work to reach a comprehensive and just solution."


Al-Sudani called for holding the 2025 Arab Summit in Baghdad, the "Dar of Peace"

In a speech during the Arab summit in Jeddah, Iraqi Prime Minister Muhammad Shia' al-Sudani welcomed Syria's return to its normal place, stressing "the importance of joint Arab action to contain differences."


Al-Sudani hoped the success of the efforts to stop the fighting in Sudan and stabilize the situation in Libya, Yemen and Lebanon.


He also welcomed the agreement between Iran and Saudi Arabia, noting that Iraq supported this step and worked on it to serve prosperity in the region.


The Iraqi President announced that Iraq will host the 2023 Baghdad Conference, for economic integration and regional stability, and the Development Road Conference, with the aim of strengthening ties.


Al-Sudani called for the 2025 Arab summit to be held in Baghdad, "the house of peace."


Mikati: The crisis of the displaced is greater than Lebanon's ability to bear

For his part, Lebanese Prime Minister Najib Mikati praised Syria's return to the Arab summit, and said, "Let me call this summit the 'Healing Wounds Summit'."


Mikati pointed out, during a speech, that "the prolongation of the crisis in Lebanon and the increasing number of displaced people makes the crisis of the displaced greater than Lebanon's capacity to bear," stressing that the return of the displaced cannot be achieved if "the Arab efforts are not concerted in cooperation with the international community."


Sultanate of Oman: The success of this summit is achieved through the reunification of the Arab nation

The head of the delegation of the Sultanate of Oman, Asaad bin Tariq, confirmed that the success of this summit was achieved through the reunion of the Arab nation, welcoming the resumption of "the activity of the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic in this summit."


Benn added that the Sultanate of Oman believes that "the inability of the international community to find a settlement for the suffering of the Palestinian people is the source of tensions in the region and the world."

Russia sends a statement to the Arab League's leaders

Russian President Vladimir Putin affirmed Russia's interest in developing friendly relations with Arab countries, in order to effectively face emerging threats and challenges.

Putin said, in a telegram of greetings he sent to the participants in the Arab summit held today, Friday, in Jeddah, and the text of which was published on the Kremlin website, that Russia traditionally attaches "great importance to developing friendly relations and constructive partnership cooperation with the countries of the Middle East and North Africa," in a statement. The framework of "Dialogue with the League of Arab States, in order to respond effectively to emerging threats and challenges facing humanity."

The Russian president indicated that his country is determined to continue supporting collective efforts for the peaceful resolution of acute regional issues, including "the crises in Sudan, Yemen, Libya and Syria, with unwavering respect for state sovereignty and the existing provisions of international law."


He stressed that Moscow will continue to provide "every possible assistance in order to settle the Palestinian-Israeli conflict on the basis of the approaches stipulated in the relevant United Nations resolutions, and the Arab Peace Initiative, whose owner, the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, is hosting the current summit of the League of Arab States."


Putin said that continuing to expand multifaceted cooperation between Russia and the Arab countries "fully meets our common interests, and is in line with building a more just and democratic system of international relations, based on the principles of multipolarity, true equality and respect for the legitimate interests of all."


Xi congratulates the Arabs: The Jeddah summit is a new step on the road to unity and achievement



Chinese President Xi Jinping said that his country is happy to witness the Arab countries taking new steps on the path of unity and self-development with new achievements, in a congratulatory message from him on the occasion of the launch of the 32nd Arab Summit in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, on Friday. ‏


"The Arab League has long been committed to strengthening the Arab world through unity and promoting peace, stability and development in the Middle East," Xi added, according to the Chinese newspaper "Global Times".


The Chinese president also expressed his appreciation to Saudi Arabia, saying that "as an important power in a multipolar world, it has made positive contributions to strengthening solidarity and coordination among Arab countries, and maintaining peace and stability in the Middle East."


He also added, "China and the Arab countries have enjoyed a strong traditional friendship for thousands of years, and in recent years, the strategic partnership between the two sides has grown and achieved fruitful results, setting a good example of South-South cooperation and mutual benefit."



Sunday, May 07, 2023

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.


Monday, May 01, 2023

Amman Consultative Meeting Statement: For the exit of illegal foreign forces from Syria

    Monday, May 01, 2023   No comments

Summary:



- Cooperation between Damascus, the concerned countries, and the United Nations in developing a comprehensive strategy to combat terrorism in all its forms and organizations.

- The need for illegal foreign forces to leave Syrian soil.

- The need to deliver humanitarian and medical aid to the Syrian people.

- Working on ending the presence of armed and terrorist groups on Syrian soil.

- Cooperation of #Syria, #Jordan and #Iraq to locate and identify the sources of drug production and smuggling methods.

- Provide appropriate conditions in #Syria for the voluntary and safe return of refugees.


________________

Review of the meeting:

The final statement of the consultative meeting of the foreign ministers of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, and Egypt, with the Syrian Foreign Minister, Faisal Al-Miqdad, held in the Jordanian capital, Amman, affirmed the priority of ending the Syrian crisis and all the suffering it caused to the Syrian people.


The statement stressed the need to end the negative repercussions of the crisis, regionally and internationally, through "a political solution that preserves Syria's unity, cohesion and sovereignty, meets the aspirations of its people, rids it of terrorism, and contributes to strengthening the appropriate conditions for the voluntary and safe return of refugees."


The statement called for a political solution to the crisis to lead to "the exit of all illegal foreign forces from it, to achieve national reconciliation, and to restore Syria's security, stability, health and role."


The statement called for the delivery of humanitarian and medical aid that contributes to meeting the life needs of all those who need it among the Syrian people, in all their places of residence, stressing that it is a necessity that all efforts must be combined to meet, in cooperation and coordination between the Syrian government and the relevant United Nations bodies, and in accordance with the decisions relevant United Nations.


The ministers participating in the consultative meeting welcomed the Syrian government's decision to open the Bab al-Salama and al-Rai crossings for the United Nations to deliver humanitarian and medical aid, after the earthquake that struck Syria on February 6.


The priority of the return of the displaced Syrians

The statement touched on the voluntary and safe return of Syrian refugees to their country, stressing that it is a top priority and the necessary steps must be taken to start implementing it immediately.


He also called for strengthening cooperation between the Syrian government and countries hosting refugees, and coordination with the relevant United Nations bodies, to organize voluntary and safe returns for refugees and end their suffering, according to specific procedures and a clear time frame, provided that the Syrian government begins by identifying the necessary needs to improve public services provided in areas of refugee return.


The statement called for intensified work with the international community and the United Nations to accelerate the implementation of early recovery projects for Syria, in a way that contributes to stabilization, and that steps be taken, as appropriate, to resolve the issue of the internally displaced, including the issue of the Rukban camp.


The statement referred to cooperation between the Syrian government and the Jordanian government, in coordination with the relevant United Nations bodies, in organizing a voluntary return of about a thousand Syrian refugees in Jordan.


The need to end the existence of various terrorist organizations

The meeting statement stressed the need for cooperation between the Syrian government, the concerned countries and the United Nations, in developing a comprehensive strategy to enhance security and combat terrorism in all its forms and organizations, and to end the presence of terrorist organizations in the Syrian territories, and neutralize their ability to threaten regional and international security.


In addition to affirming work to support Syria and its institutions in any legitimate efforts to achieve "extending its control over its lands, imposing the rule of law, and ending the presence of armed and terrorist groups on its lands," calling for stopping external interference in Syrian internal affairs, and for establishing effective coordination mechanisms between the military and security agencies. Syria and its counterparts in neighboring countries.


The statement called for work to resume the work of the Constitutional Committee, as soon as possible, in the context of political steps aimed at achieving comprehensive national reconciliation.


The meeting discussed the humanitarian aspect, and the steps required to achieve progress in efforts to address it, in a way that will directly affect the Syrian people, in addition to a number of security and political issues.


The foreign ministers also agreed with their Syrian counterpart on the agenda of the talks, which will continue according to a timetable to be agreed upon, according to the statement, and on the formation of a technical team at the level of experts, which will follow up on the outcomes of this meeting and determine the next steps.


The Jordanian Foreign Minister, Ayman Safadi, and his Syrian counterpart discussed efforts to launch an Arab leadership role to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis and bilateral relations prior to the Amman Consultative Meeting.


Saturday, April 29, 2023

China's Special Envoy for the Middle East, Zhai Jun: China looks at relations with Syria from a strategic perspective, and within a comprehensive vision for the region

    Saturday, April 29, 2023   No comments

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad discussed, today, Saturday, during his meeting with the Chinese government's special envoy to the Middle East, Zhai Jun, the Syrian-Chinese relations, common perceptions of the bilateral relationship, and China's vital role throughout this region.

President al-Assad pointed out that the most important positive change that occurred in the world was represented by the Chinese role, "which is escalating in a calm and balanced manner."


President al-Assad praised the Chinese mediation, which culminated in the rapprochement between Saudi Arabia and Iran and the improvement of relations between them, in a way that will be reflected in the stability of the entire Middle East region, as he described it.


He also pointed to the importance of the Belt and Road Initiative in achieving economic development and cooperation, stressing that "confrontation has always been primarily economic. Therefore, liberation from the restriction of dealing in US dollars has become necessary."


He added, "This role is presenting a new model in politics, economy and culture, especially as it is based on the principle of achieving stability, peace and profit for all," noting that "the whole world today needs the Chinese presence, politically and economically, in order to restore balance to the global situation, especially In light of the Russian-Chinese relations, and the strong international space that the BRICS alliance represents, capable of creating a multipolar international system.


He pointed out that the BRICS countries can play a leading role in this field, in addition to the option of adopting the Chinese yuan in trade transactions between countries.


Al-Assad stressed that Syria does not forget that China stood by its side during the war in order to defend Syrian sovereignty, in accordance with international law and the United Nations Charter, and that it appreciates all the assistance provided by Beijing during the earthquake period.


For his part, the Special Envoy, Zhai Jun, conveyed to President Assad the greetings of Chinese President Xi Jinping, and his keenness to achieve greater results in bilateral relations, stressing that China views relations with Syria from a strategic perspective, and within a comprehensive vision for the region.


Zhai Jun expressed his country's satisfaction with the victory achieved by the Syrian people in their battle against terrorism, "because it is a victory for all countries that defend their sovereignty and dignity," stressing that Beijing "will stand with Syria in international forums, in word and deed, in defense of truth and justice, and will support its battle." Against hegemony, terrorism and external interference.


Zhai Jun expressed China's support for the positive developments regarding the rapprochement path between Syria and the Arab countries.


Saturday, April 01, 2023

The role of the UN and the UNSC in preventing conflict

    Saturday, April 01, 2023   No comments

The role of the UN and the UNSC in preventing conflict is non-existent because of its lack of independence from Western hegemony.

UN spokesperson Farhan Haq was asked if the US military presence in Syria is illegal. Listen and watch his answer.

Substitute the questions about Syria with same questions about the invasion of Iraq in 2003, and you get your answers why the world is not up in arms against the Russian military intervention in Ukraine. Only the West is, but it was the West that made such actions acceptable.



Wednesday, March 29, 2023

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.

Monday, March 27, 2023

There Will be no Bakhmut Left for anyone to Keep or Liberate

    Monday, March 27, 2023   No comments

The battle for the city of Bakhmut is not a battle for the city at all. Because there will be no city after the battle. That is one of the reasons why armed actors who seek shelter among civilians and fires from near their homes are committing a war crime according to international treaties. 

Although far from traditional homeland of Islam, here too, the Mosque stand witness to the recklessness and cruelty of war. A tank that appears to belong to the armed forces of Ukraine is stationed near what is left of a damaged mosque and firing.


There are many reasons why Ukrainian leaders are choosing to make a stand in the city of Bakhmut and not retreat. Perhaps one of the reasons is how they can use homes of civilians and their mosques and ch

urches as shield while they battle with the Russians. They want these cities and towns destroyed if they cannot be preserved under their control. That is criminal intent.


Urban warfare is not a neutral category. Urban warfare, when it is done intentionally, when an army or an armed group decides to engage in war activities from near mosques, hospitals, and other civilian structures, they are committing a war crime. 

   

When the US invaded Iraq in 2003, the Iraqi army collapsed very quickly. For civilians, especially those in large cities such as Baghdad, that was a good thing. The collapse of the Iraqi military spared large cities from complete destruction. 


But not all Iraqi cities avoided urban warfare. The fate of Fallujah comes to mind. Since the invasion, the city of Fallujah did not actually fall under the total control of the coalition forces. In fact, a year after the invasion, US troops tried to flush out pockets of armed rebels who took the city, especially the old city with its narrow walkways and dense neighborhoods as shield. From April 1 to May 1, 2004, US troops fought running battles with the armed groups. Knowing the cost of urban warfare is high for all sides, US troops decided to leave the city alone. That was the end of the First Battle of Fallujah. That retreat encouraged fighters from inside Iraq and outside Iraq, mostly fighters affiliated with al-Qaeda, to settle in Fallujah and use it as a base for their attacks. That brought back the coalition forces, this time, they were determined to liberate the city even if that meant its full destruction. 

From the first week of November to right before Christmas Eve of 2004, American, Iraqi, and British troops battled with armed groups in the city in what was officially called Operation al-Fajr, popularly known and the Second Battle of Fallujah. In the end, 710 coalition forces were killed or wounded and more than 3,000 rebels were killed or captured. But we may never know how many civilians, out of the more than quarter million residents of the city were killed or injured. That number was estimated to be in the thousands, to add to the estimate total number of 650,000 civilians who were killed in Iran during the invasion. As if two battles were not enough, when ISIL took over large territories in Syrian and Iraq, Fallujah falls back into urban violence once more.

If images of city buildings were an indication of the level of destruction urban warfare can bring, the images of the destroyed homes and mosques tell a story of unlivable devastation—the City of Mosques was reduced to a City of Ruin.

 The same applies to the urban warfare that took place in Syrian and is now taking place in Ukraine. 

Sunday, March 19, 2023

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.


Friday, March 17, 2023

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."

Thursday, March 16, 2023

Syrian President Bashar al-Assad: will not meet his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, unless Turkey withdraws its forces from northern Syria

    Thursday, March 16, 2023   No comments

Hours after Syrian President Bashar al-Assad announced that he will not meet his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, unless Turkey withdraws its forces from northern Syria, Turkish officials called off a low level meeting among representives of the four states, Iran, Russia, Turkiye, and Syria

The Syrian president announced that he will not meet with his Turkish counterpart, Recep Tayyip Erdogan, unless Turkey withdraws its forces from northern Syria.


Assad said that "(any assembly) is related to reaching the stage of Turkey's formation, in which it is clearly and without any ambiguity ready for the complete withdrawal from Syrian territory".

The Syrian president added that Turkey has "stopped supporting terrorism", referring to the militant groups that control the northern regions of Syria, some of which receive training and support from Turkey.

Assad added: "This is the only situation in which there can be a meeting between ErdoÄŸan and ErdoÄŸan."

He added questioningly: "Other than that, what is the value of the meeting if it does not achieve final results for the war in Syria?"



A source in the Turkish Foreign Ministry said on Thursday that the meeting of deputy foreign ministers of Russia, Turkey, Iran and Syria, which was scheduled for this week, has been postponed to a date yet to be determined.


And the source said that the meeting was postponed "for technical reasons", I don't know the details.


Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu had mentioned last week that the deputy foreign ministers of the four countries will meet this week in Moscow before scheduled talks between the foreign ministers at a later date in order to resolve the crisis in Syria.


Cavishoglu said, after meeting Iranian counterpart Hossein Amir Abdollahian last week, that Iran expressed its desire to join the talks between Turkey, Syria and Russia, and that Turkey agreed to it.

In this context, the Turkish Anatolia Agency pointed out that the meeting of deputy ministers would be held on March 15 and 16.

Turkey has troops in Syria and continues to supports and/or supplies armed groups controlled the northwest of Syria and a strip in the north, the rest of the territories outside the government control remain under the US and Kurdish forces; as the map below shows.




Followers


Most popular articles


ISR +


Frequently Used Labels and Topics

40 babies beheaded 77 + China A Week in Review Academic Integrity Adana Agreement afghanistan Africa African Union al-Azhar Algeria Aljazeera All Apartheid apostasy Arab League Arab nationalism Arab Spring Arabs in the West Armenia Arts and Cultures Arts and Entertainment Asia Assassinations Assimilation Azerbaijan Bangladesh Belarus Belt and Road Initiative Brazil BRI BRICS Brotherhood CAF Canada Capitalism Caroline Guenez Caspian Sea cCuba censorship Central Asia Chechnya Children Rights China CIA Civil society Civil War climate colonialism communism con·science Conflict Constitutionalism Contras Corruption Coups Covid19 Crimea Crimes against humanity D-8 Dearborn Debt Democracy Despotism Diplomacy discrimination Dissent Dmitry Medvedev Earthquakes Economics Economics and Finance Economy ECOWAS Education and Communication Egypt Elections energy Enlightenment environment equity Erdogan Europe Events Fatima FIFA FIFA World Cup FIFA World Cup Qatar 2020 Flour Massacre Food Football France freedom of speech G20 G7 Garden of Prosperity Gaza GCC GDP Genocide geopolitics Germany Global Security Global South Globalism globalization Greece Grozny Conference Hamas Health Hegemony Hezbollah hijab Hiroshima History and Civilizations Human Rights Huquq Ibadiyya Ibn Khaldun ICC Ideas IGOs Immigration Imperialism india Indonesia inequality inflation INSTC Instrumentalized Human Rights Intelligence Inter International Affairs International Law Iran IranDeal Iraq Iraq War ISIL Islam in America Islam in China Islam in Europe Islam in Russia Islam Today Islamic economics Islamic Jihad Islamic law Islamic Societies Islamism Islamophobia ISR MONTHLY ISR Weekly Bulletin ISR Weekly Review Bulletin Japan Jordan Journalism Kenya Khamenei Kilicdaroglu Kurdistan Latin America Law and Society Lebanon Libya Majoritarianism Malaysia Mali mass killings Mauritania Media Media Bias Media Review Middle East migration Military Affairs Morocco Multipolar World Muslim Ban Muslim Women and Leadership Muslims Muslims in Europe Muslims in West Muslims Today NAM Narratives Nationalism NATO Natural Disasters Nelson Mandela NGOs Nicaragua Nicaragua Cuba Niger Nigeria Normalization North America North Korea Nuclear Deal Nuclear Technology Nuclear War Nusra October 7 Oman OPEC+ Opinion Polls Organisation of Islamic Cooperation - OIC Oslo Accords Pakistan Palestine Peace Philippines Philosophy poerty Poland police brutality Politics and Government Population Transfer Populism Poverty Prison Systems Propaganda Prophet Muhammad prosperity Protests Proxy Wars Public Health Putin Qatar Quran Rachel Corrie Racism Raisi Ramadan Regime Change religion and conflict Religion and Culture Religion and Politics religion and society Resistance Rights Rohingya Genocide Russia Salafism Sanctions Saudi Arabia Science and Technology SCO Sectarianism security Senegal Shahed sharia Sharia-compliant financial products Shia Silk Road Singapore Slavery Soccer socialism Southwest Asia and North Africa Space War Sports Sports and Politics State Terror Sudan sunnism Supremacism SWANA Syria Ta-Nehisi Coates terrorism Thailand The Koreas Tourism Trade transportation Tunisia Turkey Turkiye U.S. Foreign Policy UAE uk ukraine UN under the Rubble UNGA United States UNSC Uprisings Urban warfare US Foreign Policy US Veto USA Uyghur Venezuela Volga Bulgaria Wadee wahhabism War War and Peace War Crimes Wealth and Power Wealth Building West Western Civilization Western Sahara WMDs Women women rights Work World and Communities Xi Yemen Zionism

Search for old news

Find Articles by year, month hierarchy


AdSpace

_______________________________________________

Copyright © Islamic Societies Review. All rights reserved.