RIYADH: The Kingdom of Saudi Arabia (KSA) and Syria are in discussions to restore consular services between the two sides, Arab media reported on Thursday.
“Talks are underway between senior officials in the KSA and their counterparts in Syria regarding restoring the provision of consular services,” an Arab TV channel reported, citing an official of Saudi foreign ministry.
KSA-Syria
The news report gave no timeline for the move, which would mark the latest step of Saudi Arabia towards sewing rifts with regional rival countries.
Earlier, a Beijing-brokered agreement was announced to resume diplomatic relations between Riyadh and Tehran. Saudi Arabia has been hinting at reconciliation with Syria for weeks.
KSA sent aid and relief to both government-controlled and rebel-held parts of Syria in the aftermath of a massive earthquake that hit Turkey and Syria on February 6.
KSA’s foreign minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan had said that a consensus was developing in the Arab world that a new approach to Syria requiring talks with Damascus would be needed to resolve humanitarian crises. The minister said that policy shifts on Damascus could also help Syrian refugees in neighboring countries, primarily Lebanon and Jordan.
On Sunday, Syrian President Assad also visited the United Arab Emirates (UAE), where President Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan told Assad it was time for his country to be reintegrated into the wider Arab region, Emirati state media reported.
Syria was debarred from the Arab League in 2011 over its fierce crackdown on pro-democracy protest demonstrations.
