Upset with the results of the Jeddah meeting, the Syrian foreign minister said in comments about the possibility of preparing for the Arab League that Syria’s return will be “almost impossible before correcting bilateral relations,” Reuters reported.
Faisal al-Mekdad told Algeria International TV that recent visits to Arab countries aim to open a new page.
Syria was suspended from the Arab League in 2011 to protest how the government of President Bashar al-Assad treated demonstrators.
Mekdad held a session of talks with the Minister of Foreign Affairs and the Algerian National Community Abroad, Ahmed Ataf, during which they discussed means to activate and strengthen bilateral cooperation mechanisms.
According to SANA, the pair discussed various aspects of bilateral relations, and activating the work of the joint higher committee between the two countries, based on its importance in strengthening fraternal relations and coordination on various Arab and international issues of common interest.
Minister Mekdad gave an overview of the latest developments in the Syrian arena in the light of his recent consultations with officials of numerous capitals of Arab and friendly countries, expressing the Syrian vision for ways to develop inter-Arab relations, and the importance of activating bilateral Arab relations and their role in reviving joint Arab action.
Both ministers also discussed the developments on the Arab, regional and international arena and the reality of bilateral relations from various aspects, where it was agreed to find joint mechanisms to advance the pace of bilateral action at all diplomatic and political levels.
At the end of the talks session, the two sides affirmed the continuation of coordination and dialogue between the two countries at various levels, in a way that serves various Arab issues, foremost of which is the basic Arab cause; the Palestinian cause.
U.S. helicopter raid targets senior ISIS leader in Syria
A U.S. helicopter raid in northeast Syria targeted a senior ISIS leader and planner early Monday morning, according to a spokesman for U.S. Central Command.
“We believe the raid killed a senior ISIS Syria leader and operational planner responsible for planning terror attacks in the Middle East and Europe,” said Col. Joe Buccino. The identity of the target was not immediately available.
Two other armed individuals were also killed in the raid, Buccino said.
No US forces were wounded in the raid and no helicopters were shot down, Buccino added.
No civilians were killed or injured, according to a statement from CENTCOM.
“Though degraded, ISIS remains able to conduct operations within the region with a desire to strike beyond the Middle East,” Gen. Michael Erik Kurilla said in a statement. “We will continue the relentless campaign against ISIS.”
Syrian exports start to gradually recover – official
Head of the Import and Export Committee in the Syrian Chamber of Commerce, Fahad Darwish, said on Monday that Syrian exports are gradually recovering.
Darwish stated to the pro-government al-Watan newspaper that the value of Syrian exports during the first quarter of 2023 reached approximately $ 250 million.
He added that natural resources exported by the General Establishment of Geology and Mineral Resources held the first rank. Vegetables came second in terms of the volume of export value, and fruits came in third place.
Darwish noted that world-renowned food products such as cheese, dairy, various canned products, and others came in fourth place, and then spices such as coriander, anise, cumin, and others came fifth.
Jaafari, Bogdanov discuss developments in Syria and the region
Russian Special Presidential Representative for the Middle East and Africa, Deputy Foreign Minister Mikhail Bogdanov , discussed with the Syrian Ambassador in Moscow, Dr. Bashar al-Jaafari, developments in and around Syria ,focusing on resolving the crisis there, SANA reported.
“ Moscow is ready to continue making the necessary efforts to advance constructive dialogue between Damascus and its regional environment based on the principles of unconditional respect for Syria’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity,” the Russian Foreign Ministry quoted Bogdanov as saying Monday during his meeting with al-Jaafari .
The ministry pointed out that the meeting also dealt with some practical issues of bilateral cooperation, including the schedule of future contacts, adding that Bogdanov congratulated Ambassador al-Jaafari on the Independence Day on its 77th anniversary.
President Assad receives cables of congratulations from Arab and foreign leaders on 77th anniversary of Independence Day
On the occasion of the 77th anniversary of Independence Day, President Bashar al-Assad received congratulatory cables from the leaders of Arab and foreign states, during which the leaders extended their warmest congratulations and wishes to the Syrians for further stability and progress, affirming their support for the Syrian government’s efforts to defend the state’s sovereignty, unity and territorial integrity, and their keenness to continue work in order to strengthen and develop existing bilateral cooperation ties.
Assad, according to SANA, received cables from each of Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, President of the United Arab Emirates, Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, Vice President of the UAE, Prime Minister and Ruler of Dubai, and Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Vice President of the United Arab Emirates, and from the President Abdel Fattah El-Sisi, President of the Arab Republic of Egypt, and President Mohamed Mohamed Ould Ghazouani, President of the Islamic Republic of Mauritania.
President al-Assad also received cables of congratulations from President Vladimir Putin, President of the Russian Federation, President Xi Jinping, President of the People’s Republic of China, Iranian President Ebrahim Raisi, President Joko Widodo, President of the Republic of Indonesia, President Alexander Lukashenko, President of the Republic of Belarus, Kim Jong Un, Head of State Affairs of the Democratic People’s Republic of Korea, and His Holiness Pope Francis, Pope of the Vatican, and Min Aung Haling, Chairman of the State Council of the Republic of the Union of Myanmar.
