Saudi Arabia’s Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, has suggested that increased communication with the Syrian regime could lead to Syria’s re-entry into the Arab League. This comes amid efforts to improve relations between the Kingdom and the Syrian regime following the devastating earthquake that struck northern Syria and southern Turkey in February.
On Tuesday, the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, stated that there is a growing consensus in the Arab world that isolating Syria is ineffective and that dialogue with the Syrian regime is necessary, particularly to address the humanitarian issue crisis in the country. Reuters reported the minister’s comments.
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During a press conference in London, the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, emphasized the importance of dialogue to address the current concerns regarding Syria. He stated that such dialogue could eventually pave the way for Syria’s return to the Arab League but added that it is too early to discuss this at present.
With Saudi Arabia set to host the Arab summit this year, Prince Faisal bin Farhan was asked whether the Syrian regime would be invited to attend. In response, he stated that discussing such matters at this stage is premature.
Prince Faisal added, “But I can say there is consensus in the Arab world, and the status quo cannot continue. That means we have to find a way to get through it.”
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In a statement made on February 19th, the Saudi Foreign Minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan al-Saud, indicated that there was a growing consensus in the Arab world that isolating Syria was not effective and that dialogue with the Syrian regime was necessary to address humanitarian concerns, including the return of refugees. He suggested that such dialogue would be needed “at some point” to address these issues.
“You will see a growing consensus not only among the GCC but in the Arab world that the status quo is unsustainable,” Prince Faisal said.
Prince Faisal bin Farhan also commented that given the absence of a clear path toward achieving political goals for Syria, another approach is beginning to emerge. This approach addresses the humanitarian situation of Syrian refugees in neighbouring countries and the suffering of civilians within Syria, particularly following the recent devastating earthquake in Syria and Turkey.
The Prince emphasized the need for dialogue with the Damascus government to achieve the most crucial goals, particularly with regard to the humanitarian situation, the return of refugees, and other related matters. He added that, at some point, dialogue would be necessary to achieve these important objectives.
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.
