Syrian foreign minister in Saudi Arabia on first trip as new rulers reset regional ties | Syrian war news
Asaad Al-Shaibani arrived in Riyadh for his first foreign visit since the overthrow of Bashar al-Assad’s regime in Syria.
Syria’s top diplomat says he hopes to open a “new, bright page” with Saudi Arabia upon his arrival in the kingdom, the first foreign visit by Syria’s new rulers.
The visit, which began late Wednesday, came less than a month after former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad driven out by rebel forces December 8.
“I have just arrived in the brotherly Kingdom of Saudi Arabia, accompanied by Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and General Intelligence Chief Anas Khattab,” Asaad al-Shaibani announced on X.
“With this first visit in the history of Free Syria, we aim to open a new, bright page in Syrian-Saudi relations, which befits the long shared history of the two countries,” he added.
Syria’s interim government appointed Al-Shaibani as foreign minister on December 21, making him the country’s first top diplomat since the ouster of al-Assad.
Earlier on Wednesday, Syrian state media said the delegation to visit the kingdom “at the invitation of the Saudi Minister of Foreign Affairs”.
A statement shared by the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs stated that Saudi Arabia’s Deputy Foreign Minister Waleed bin Abdulkarim El Khereiji received the delegation at Riyadh International Airport.
The Syrian delegation includes Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and General Intelligence Chief Anas Khattab, underscoring the diplomatic and strategic significance of the visit.
Later on Thursday, Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman said in a post on X that he met with al-Shibani to discuss how best to support the political transition.
The Syrian Minister of Defense and the head of the intelligence service also participated in the meeting.
In an exclusive interview with Al Jazeera on Tuesday, al-Shaibani called for the lifting of all Western sanctions on Syria as he detailed the new administration’s plans for the country’s future.
Adam Clements, a former US diplomat and Pentagon official, said Saudi Arabia is working to establish strong ties with Syria as Iran loses its influence in the country.
“I think this is very significant,” he told Al Jazeera on Thursday. He said that from a “diplomatic point of view”, Riyadh wants to establish stronger ties with the new Syrian administration.
“Saudi Arabia would also play a big role … at the beginning of construction and reconstruction. “Syria is very dependent on Iran for oil and fuel, so I think the Gulf states could also support that,” he said.
In an interview with Saudi-owned Al Arabiya television on Sunday, Syria’s de facto leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, also referred to as Abu Mohammed al-Julani he said that Riyadh “will certainly have a big role in the future of Syria”, pointing to a “big investment opportunity for all neighboring countries”.
Al-Sharaa heads the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group that led the rebel offensive that ousted al-Assad.
Syria’s economy and infrastructure have been devastated by more than 13 years of civil war that began with the suppression of pro-democracy protests in 2011.
Saudi Arabia severed ties with al-Assad’s government in 2012 and backed Syrian rebels seeking to oust him at the start of the country’s civil war. In 2023, the Arab League readmitted Syria after more than a decade of suspension.
