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 its 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 spoke openly to 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 a mistake for anyone to think that 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.
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