No place for 'revenge' in Arab politics, says Syrian political adviser

Saudi Foreign Minister arrives in Syria for first visit since 2011
The two discussed the path to achieve a comprehensive political settlement to end the Syrian crisis, achieve national reconciliation and resume Syrias role in the Arab world, according to Saudi Press Agency SPA.
The body suspended Syria's membership in 2011, months into a crackdown on protests morphed into a brutal civil conflict which rages more than a decade later and has cost thousands of lives.
Two Arab countries, Qatar and Kuwait, still have reservations against Syria rejoining the league. But Mr Al Ahmed said the thawing of tensions with Saudi Arabia offered Syria hope.
Just like no one imagined there would be a resumption of relations between Syria and Saudi, there could be similar steps with Qatar and Kuwait.
The Saudi foreign ministers visit came a week after his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekdad visited Jeddah in Saudi Arabia and the two sides agreed to resume consular services and flights after normalising ties.
Mr Mekdad, who recently also visited Algeria and Tunisia, has said his country's return to the Arab League would be "almost impossible before correcting bilateral relations".
Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan bin Abdullah meets with Syrian Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates Faisal Mekdad in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, April 12, 2023. Saudi Press Agency.
Mr Al Ahmed thinks that there cant be pre-requisitions for resuming relations with Syria.
This means dictating terms and that is something that the Syrian government would not accept he said.
Everyone knows that Damascus refused to be dictated by bigger even powers such as the US, or its allies like Russia and Iran and it would not have it any other way.
The Saudi visit on Tuesday came days after the kingdom hosted a meeting of nine Arab nations focused on ending Syria's isolation at a time of fast-paced diplomatic shifts across the region.
I dont see rapprochement between Syria and certain Arab states as an abnormal step said Mr Al Ahmed. On the contrary, I found it strange when there was rivalry in the region between some Arab states and Syria.
He explained that a black or white mentality was predominant in the political sphere which created the tense relations over the past decade.
He said calls by some Arab states to change the Syrian government had been "unacceptable".
Arab states realised that it was fruitless calling for a change which could have dangerous consequences on the region as a whole, not just Syria. Mr Al Ahmed adds.
The meeting could bring to the forefront not just bilateral relations between Syria and Saudi but also how that would impact the region as a whole.
Syria could play an important role in bridging the relations between Arab states as a whole and Iran, Russia and china, Mr Al Ahmed said.
Updated: April 19, 2023, 3:42 AM
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