A delegation from Saudi Arabia, led by an adviser from the Royal Court, on Sunday met with the leader of Syria’s new administration, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, at the People’s Palace in Damascus, reported Syrian media.
The visit of the Saudi delegation is an important development in the light of diplomatic interactions across the region. It comes shortly before a scheduled visit for Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs, Mohammed Al-Khalifi, to Damascus, in a sign of the region’s continued interest in the political developments taking place in Syria. After 13 years of closure, Qatar recently reopened its embassy in Damascus.
Against the backdrop of the rapid changes in Syria, Al-Sharaa attempted to assure the region that Syria will not pose a threat. Speaking to Asharq Al-Awsat, Al-Sharaa said that “the Syrian revolution ended with the fall of the regime, and we will not allow it to spread elsewhere.”
Moreover, he emphasized that Syria will not be used as a platform “to attack or destabilize any Arab or Gulf country.” He added that what happened in Syria had “set the Iranian project in the region back by 40 years.”
Al-Sharaa praised the rapid progress achieved by Gulf countries, expressing hope that Syria could follow a similar path. “We admire the development in Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia’s bold plans and vision, and we aspire to achieve similar progress for Syria,” he noted.
Furthermore, Al-Sharaa expressed aspirations for fostering cooperation with the Kingdom and Gulf countries. “There are many opportunities for cooperation, especially in economic and developmental areas, where we can align our goals,” he said.
