The most prominent event in December was what was leaked by a media center about a Syrian-Saudi security meeting 12 days ago and meetings that took place over four days in Riyadh’s capital. The meetings revolved around combating terrorism and takfiri organizations, which may constitute a prelude to a political track in light of the good Syrian-Gulf relations in general.
The Syrian-Saudi security rapprochement was preceded by the raising of the Syrian flag in the center of the capital, Riyadh. This came during the visit of Chinese President Xi Jinping to the Kingdom of Saudi Arabia and his attendance at three consecutive summits, including a “Chinese-Arab” summit last Friday. Both events are positive signs of a future breakthrough between the two countries, especially since Moscow previously played a major role in the goal of that rapprochement. Last January, the Russian President’s Special Envoy to Syria, Alexander Lavrentyev, went from Riyadh, where he met Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, to Damascus, in one day. He met with President Bashar al-Assad, in an attempt to restore the situation to its course between the two countries. Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan affirmed, in March 2021, Riyadh’s support for Syria’s return to its Arab surroundings and that the solution will only be political.
Talking about Syrian-Saudi relations does not necessarily mean that they will return as quickly as everyone wishes, but rather it is a new process to breathe vitality into the relationship between the two countries. The rapprochement between the two countries produces positive repercussions not only on the domestic Syrian scene, but also on the regional environment. Therefore, stopping the Turkish intervention and the exit of Turkish forces from Syria is not only Syria’s demand; the demand also comes from the Saudis. And the rapprochement of the two countries will reflect – in one way or another – a political breakthrough, as is customary in Lebanon. And it is not beyond that these events will be reflected in the Saudi-Iranian rapprochement, which is active in the Iraqi arena.
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.
