Lavrov: return of Syria to Arab League has improved the situation in the Middle East

Syria’s return to the Arab League (LAS) has had a positive impact on the “political atmosphere” in the Middle East, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said. writes TASS.

“This step has strengthened the international positions of all Arab states, which have demonstrated the ability to make important, coordinated and forward-looking decisions,” the Russian minister said.

Lavrov noted that the parties paid special attention to the tasks of “promoting a comprehensive political settlement and post-conflict reconstruction” of Syria. Also, the countries that take part in the dialogue of the Cooperation Council for the Arab States of the Persian Gulf (GCC) and Russia spoke out “in support of the sovereignty, independence, unity and territorial integrity” of the republic, he added.

Syria’s membership in the Arab League was restored at the organization’s May 19 summit. Damascus’s membership in the organization was suspended with the start of the civil war in the country in 2011, which killed more than 500,000 people, and about half of the country’s pre-war population fled their homes (5.6 million fled the country, 6.6 million became internally displaced persons according to the UN).

In addition, on April 12, Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan met with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad. As a result of the talks, the parties agreed to soon resume diplomatic relations, which were interrupted after the outbreak of the civil war, as well as to restart flights between the two states.

Already on June 13, on the sidelines of the 10th conference of Arab and Chinese entrepreneurs, Syria and Saudi Arabia reached agreements on resuming cooperation in the field of economy, trade, and investment.