Syria’s foreign minister told Saudi officials that the new leadership in Damascus intends to establish a government that includes all sections of Syrian society after the ouster of President Bashar Al-Assad last month.
This is the first official trip abroad by a member of Syria’s new government as Western and regional powers look for signs of whether the government will impose strict Islamic rule or show inclusiveness in government.
Minister Asad Hassan Al-Shibani together with the Syrian Minister of Defense met with the Saudi Minister of Defense, Prince Khalid bin Salman on Thursday in the Saudi capital Riyadh.
“Through this visit, we conveyed our national vision of establishing a government based on partnership and efficiency that includes all Syrian constituents, and working to launch an economic development plan that paves the way for investments, establishes strategic partnerships and improves living and working conditions,” Al-Shibani said. on Xu.
Since the ouster of Assad on December 8, Islamist rebels led by the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group have sought to convince Arab countries and the international community that they will rule on behalf of all Syrians and keep the revolution within the country’s borders.
HTS was the Syrian branch of Al Qaeda until they severed ties in 2016. Saudi Arabia supported the rebels fighting Assad at the start of the Syrian civil war.
In recent times, however, Riyadh has taken the path of normalizing relations with the Assad government, paving the way for Syria to return to the Arab League in 2023. Saudi Arabia thus sought to reduce Iranian influence in the country and stop the flow of drugs.
A Saudi source close to the government told Reuters that the kingdom is committed to preserving peace in Syria and that fostering stability is a top priority.
“At this critical moment, our focus is on delivering basic humanitarian aid to the citizens of Syria, and we are exploring opportunities for expanded aid in cooperation with regional partners,” added the same source.
(Vijesti.ba)
