Great reunification in the Middle East

Saudi Arabia’s Minister of Foreign Affairs,  Prince Faisal bin Farhan has paid an official visit to the Syrian capital – the first visit in over a decade. Syrian President Bashar Hafiz al-Assad received the Saudi diplomat. The authorities of both countries intend to restore mutual consular services and resume air communications. Meanwhile, the President of Tunisia, Kajs Su’ajjid,  met with the Minister of Foreign Affairs of Syria,  Faisal Mikdad, to strengthen bilateral cooperation and preserve the “historic ties of brotherhood” with Damascus, severed in 2012. At the same time, the leaders of the Gulf states and Egypt, Jordan and Iraq gathered in Saudi Arabia to discuss Syria’s further political fate and its possible return to the Arab League.

Qatar and the UAE  will restore mutual diplomatic relations and reopen their embassies as soon as possible. This is part of an intense diplomatic effort across the region – former rivals such as Iran and Saudi Arabia are engaging in dialogue and improving relations. In turn, the Minister of Foreign Affairs of China, Qin Gang, conveyed to his Israeli and Palestinian counterparts that the PRC is ready for assistance in peace talks between the two parties. Israel and Palestine have not engaged in a substantive dialogue on ending the century-old conflict for more than a decade. The Americans, meanwhile, are intermediating to end the war in Yemen and are holding diplomatic talks with the Iraqis, Lebanese, Emiratis, Kurds and Saudis.