The Russian newspaper Izvestia observed in a report that Arab normalization with the Assad regime “has not ceased, but it was long overdue.” It explained that despite Syria’s return to the Arab League a year ago, the Damascus government “has taken almost no responsive action.”
The Syrian-Jordanian border continues to be a “primary point of tension” in this process, with the smuggling of weapons and drugs posing a threat to Jordan’s national security.
Furthermore, the newspaper highlighted that while the Arab initiative also calls for Damascus to facilitate the return of refugees, progress on this front remains stagnant. Another crucial issue with no visible advancement is the resumption of the Syrian Constitutional Committee’s work.
The newspaper emphasized that “Syrian-Arab normalization is long overdue, with both parties hesitant to come to terms. Nevertheless, the ongoing dialogue on various matters is a positive sign. Ultimately, there is hope for complete reconciliation in relations.”
Meanwhile, an analysis by Foreign Policy deemed Arab normalization with the Assad regime as “catastrophic,” citing adverse effects on the situation within Syria and the wider region.
Penned by Charles Lister, a researcher at the Middle East Institute in Washington, the report highlighted that attempts by Arab states to integrate Assad into the international fold and encourage responsible behavior have backfired.
Rather than eliciting concessions from Assad, these efforts have exacerbated all facets of the Syrian crisis since his participation in the Arab summit in Saudi Arabia in 2023.
The initiative facilitating Syria’s reintegration into the Arab community outlined five key priorities to be addressed through the “Arab Ministerial Liaison Committee” for ongoing dialogue with the Syrian regime.
These priorities encompassed enhancing and broadening the distribution of humanitarian aid within Syria, fostering conditions conducive to the substantial repatriation of refugees, halting the production and trafficking of illicit drugs from Syria, resuming the operations of the Constitutional Committee, achieving a political resolution aligned with UN Security Council resolutions, and establishing an international security entity to coordinate counterterrorism endeavors in Syria.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
