Arab governments vote for Syria’s return to the Arab League after 12-year suspension
- Syria’s membership was suspended 12 years ago, early on in the uprising-turned-conflict, which has killed nearly half a million people and displaced millions
- ‘The reinstatement of Syria does not mean normalisation of relations between Arab countries and Syria,’ said Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit
The Arab League readmitted Syria on Sunday after more than a decade of suspension, consolidating a regional push to normalise ties with President Bashar al-Assad in a move criticised by Washington.
Qatar, which had previously opposed Syria’s return to the League, said its position on normalisation had not changed and it hoped regional consensus on Syria could be “a motive for the Syrian regime to address the roots of the crisis”, a foreign ministry spokesman told state news agency QNA.
“The reinstatement of Syria does not mean normalisation of relations between Arab countries and Syria,” Arab League Secretary General Ahmed Aboul Gheit told reporters in Cairo. “This is a sovereign decision for each country to make.”
Syria called on Arab states to show “mutual respect”.
“We do not believe Syria merits readmission into the Arab League at this time,” the spokesperson said, adding that US sanctions would remain in full effect.
Practical measures included continuing efforts to facilitate the delivery of aid in Syria, according to a copy of the decision seen by Reuters.
Syria’s readmission follows a Jordanian initiative laying out a road map for ending Syria’s conflict that includes addressing the issues of refugees, missing detainees, drug smuggling and Iranian militias in Syria.
A Jordanian official said Syria would need to show it was serious about reaching a political solution, since this would be a precondition to lobbying for any lifting of Western sanctions, a crucial step for funding reconstruction in Syria.
Recently, Arab states have been trying to reach consensus on whether to invite Assad to an Arab League summit on May 19 in Riyadh to discuss the pace and conditions for normalising ties.
Responding to a question over whether Assad could participate, Aboul Gheit told reporters: “If he wishes, because Syria, starting from this evening, is a full member of the Arab League.”