After more than ten years, the isolation of the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad, which was expelled from the organization in 2011 because of its violent actions against its own people, is ending. − Icon image: dpa/archive
The foreign ministers of the Arab countries have decided to return Syria to the Arab League.
That said Gamal Ruschdi, spokesman for the Secretary General of the regional organization, the German Press Agency on Sunday in Cairo. This ends the isolation of the Syrian government of President Bashar al-Assad, which was expelled from the organization in 2011 because of its violent actions against its own people.
According to reports from the Al-Arabiya news channel and the Emirati newspaper The National, the move is subject to several conditions. Syria should therefore be obliged to resume talks with the opposition about a new constitution and to pave the way for elections. In addition, the government should enable refugees to return and cross-border humanitarian aid and curb drug smuggling into neighboring countries. In return, the Arab countries want to provide financial support for reconstruction in Syria and persuade allied states to withdraw from Syria.
Syrian government troops had violently put down protests in the country at the time
The Arab League suspended the Assad government’s membership in 2011 because of its violent crackdown on its own people. Syrian government troops had violently put down protests in the country at the time. The uprisings developed into a civil war that has continued to this day, in which more than 350,000 people lost their lives. More than 14 million people have been displaced by the fighting, 6.8 million of them in their own country. According to the UN, more than 90 percent of the population lives below the poverty line.
A political solution is the “only way” to reach an agreement, said Egypt’s Foreign Minister Samih Schukri at the opening of the meeting in Cairo. Intervention by foreign states would have exacerbated the crisis in Syria. The main responsibility for a solution lies with the government in Damascus. Together with allies, this now controls about 70 percent of the fragmented civil war country.
The next summit of the 22-strong organization is scheduled for May 19 in Saudi Arabia. The kingdom can invite Assad to this meeting with Sunday’s decision. According to Al-Arabiya, Syrian delegations can now take part in meetings of the organization again. Further approval from the heads of state and government or monarchs in the Arab countries is not required.
Formal return of Syria to the Arab community has been on the cards for weeks
Syria’s formal return to the Arab community has been looming for weeks. About a week ago, the foreign ministers of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Egypt and Iraq met their Syrian counterpart Faisal al-Mikdad to discuss normalizing relations. Assad also used the devastating February 6 earthquakes in Syria and Turkey to increasingly appear publicly again. Added to this was the rapprochement between the actual rivals Saudi Arabia and Iran, who previously supported different sides in the Syrian war.
− dpa