Syrian regime leader Bashar al-Assad plans to visit Saudi Arabia on Thursday to meet with Saudi Crown Prince Mohammad bin Salman ahead of the upcoming Arab summit in Jeddah.
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According to the Russian agency “TASS,” Assad will arrive in Saudi Arabia a day before the summit for bilateral talks with the Saudi king. This visit marks Assad’s first in 12 years and coincides with Syria’s resumption of its seat in the Arab League on May 7th.
The discussions between Assad and King Salman bin Abdulaziz Al Saud will likely include the potential participation of the President of the United Arab Emirates, Mohammad bin Zayed Al Nahyan. These talks, occurring a day before the summit, serve as a prelude to the focus on the Syrian issue during the Jeddah summit.
A Syrian regime delegation arrived at King Abdulaziz International Airport in Saudi Arabia on May 15th to participate in the preparatory meetings for the upcoming Arab summit on May 19th.
After arriving at Jeddah airport, Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad stated in a press release quoted by the “SANA” agency that the summit’s theme is “joint Arab action” and expressed optimism about the future.
The delegation representing the Assad regime consisted of Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad, Information Minister Boutros al-Hallaq, Assistant Foreign Minister Ayman Sousan, and Director of the Office of Foreign Minister Jamal Najib. They were warmly welcomed by Minister Plenipotentiary Mazen bin Hamad al-Hamali from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Ambassador Salman al-Mutair.
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.
