[ad_1]
Sultan Haitham bin Tariq in the Omani capital Muscat on February 21, 2020. A Reuters photo of a news agency representative reuters_tickers
This content was published on 05 October 2020 – 11 July 2020
DUBAI (Reuters) – The Sultanate of Oman has sent an ambassador to Syria, becoming the first Arab Gulf country to do so after those countries reduced or closed their missions in Damascus in 2012 due to government attacks on protests at the start of the conflict which turned into a civil war.
Oman is one of the few Arab countries to maintain diplomatic relations with the government of President Bashar al-Assad after the 2011 uprising, despite pressure from the United States and other Gulf allies.
The Omani news agency said the Syrian foreign minister received the credentials of Oman’s ambassador, Turki bin Mahmoud Al Busaidi, who was appointed to the post by royal decree in March on Sunday.
Some Arab countries are seeking reconciliation with Damascus, after decisive gains for pro-government forces in the conflict, in a bid to expand their influence in Syria at the expense of Turkey, as well as Iran, which supports Assad.
Oman has kept its embassy open, as has Bahrain. Sultan Haitham bin Tariq, when he came to power in January, pledged to continue to establish friendly relations with all countries.
The United Arab Emirates reopened their mission in Damascus at the end of 2018 as part of a diplomatic boost to Assad, and they have a charge d’affaires there.
The UAE was among several countries in the region that supported armed opposition groups in Syria, although their role was less important than that of Saudi Arabia and Qatar, which have yet to restore relations. with Damascus.
Kuwait has announced that it will reopen its mission in Damascus if agreed in the Arab League, which suspended Syria’s membership in 2011.
Assad has regained control of most of Syria with the support of Russia as well as Iran, pitting Riyadh and Abu Dhabi against Shiite Islamic groups backed by Iran, such as the Lebanese Hezbollah.
Washington imposed new sanctions aimed at cutting funding to the Assad government and warned that anyone doing business with Damascus risked being put on the sanctions list.
(Press coverage of Ghaida Ghantous – Prepared by Mohamed Farag for the Arab newsletter – Edited by Mustafa Saleh)
Source link
