Saudi Arabia denies plan to reopen embassy in Damascus

RIYADH (AA) - Saudi Arabia on Monday denied reports that it planned to reopen its embassy in Syrian capital Damascus.

Some news websites had quoted Saudi Foreign Minister Ibrahim al-Assaf as saying that Riyadh intended to reopen its Damascus embassy on Thursday.

"These statements are totally incorrect," the Saudi Foreign Ministry asserted in a Monday statement.

Last month, the United Arab Emirates and Bahrain -- both of which had supported Syria’s armed opposition -- announced plans to reopen their respective embassies in Damascus following a seven-year hiatus.

Syria has only just begun to emerge from a devastating conflict that began in 2011 when the Assad regime cracked down on demonstrators with unexpected severity.