Arab-international meeting on Syria opens in Saudi capital

By Ibrahim Khazen

CAIRO (AA) – Foreign ministers from Arab and Western countries held a meeting in the Saudi capital Riyadh on Sunday to discuss the situation in Syria following last month’s fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.

The meeting is attended by Türkiye, Syria, Saudi Arabia, the United Arab Emirates (UAE), Bahrain, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Iraq, Lebanon, Jordan, Egypt, Britain, and Germany. The United States and Italy are present at the level of deputy foreign minister.

The meeting followed an Arab ministerial meeting, which included the top diplomats of Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Bahrain, Jordan, Syria, Iraq, Oman, Qatar, Kuwait, Lebanon, Egypt, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit, and Gulf Cooperation Council Secretary-General Jasem Mohamed AlBudaiwi.

The Riyadh meetings build on the outcomes of the Aqaba meetings held in Jordan on Dec. 14, 2024. These meetings emphasized support for the Syrian people and pledged to provide all possible assistance to ensure security and stability in the country.

Assad, Syria's leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party's decades-long regime.

The takeover came after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters captured key cities in a lightning offensive that lasted less than two weeks.

A new administration led by Ahmed al-Sharaa has now taken control of the country.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi