Syria’s Bashar Assad arrived Sunday within the United Arab Emirates, his second go to to the Gulf since a devastating earthquake final month prompted Arab outreach to his internationally remoted authorities.
The journey – Assad’s second to the oil-rich UAE in as a few years – comes after a go to to Oman final month, his solely official engagement in Arab nations for the reason that begin of Syria’s conflict in 2011.
“Bashar Al-Assad, President of the Syrian Arab Republic, arrived today (Sunday) in the UAE on an official visit, accompanied by his wife, Asma,” UAE state media mentioned.
The Syrian chief was greeted within the capital Abu Dhabi by Emirati President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, the official news company WAM reported.
Abu Dhabi, which normalized relations with Assad’s authorities in 2018, has led support efforts within the aftermath of the Feb. 6 earthquake that struck southern Türkiye and northern Syria, killing tens of hundreds.
Analysts say a diplomatic momentum generated by support efforts within the quake’s aftermath may bolster Damascus’s relations with Middle Eastern nations which have to date resisted normalization after greater than a decade of conflict.
The UAE had pledged over $100 million in help to quake-hit Syria, by far the biggest sum by any nation.
It additionally dispatched a search and rescue staff and offered hundreds of tonnes of emergency aid gadgets.
The UAE’s international minister, Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan, visited Syria final month – the primary senior Gulf official to take action for the reason that quake.
During the conflict in Syria, Assad had not often gone overseas, with the notable exception of allies Iran and Russia – the place he visited once more this week and met with President Vladimir Putin.
On Thursday, Iran’s prime safety official Ali Shamkhani met the Emirati president in Abu Dhabi and held talks with UAE nationwide safety adviser Sheikh Tahnoun bin Zayed Al Nahyan, who attended the welcoming ceremony Sunday for Assad on the presidential palace.
The international minister of Saudi Arabia, which has additionally despatched quake support to Syria, mentioned final month a consensus was constructing within the Arab world {that a} new method to Damascus can be wanted to deal with humanitarian crises together with the quake.
Source: www.dailysabah.com
