By Mohammad Sio
ISTANBUL (AA) - Jordan will host a series of high-level ministerial meetings on Saturday, bringing together Arab and international leaders to address the ongoing developments in Syria following the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime.
The meetings, set to take place in the Red Sea city of Aqaba, will gather foreign ministers from the Arab Contact Group on Syria, the Jordanian Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement on Thursday.
Established by the Arab League, the group includes Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, and the League’s secretary-general. Also participating are foreign ministers from the UAE, Bahrain—current chair of the Arab League Summit—and Qatar, the statement added.
In addition to the Arab delegations, foreign ministers from Türkiye, the US, and the EU’s high representative for foreign affairs will join the discussions. The UN envoy to Syria is also expected to attend.
The talks aim “to support an inclusive, Syrian-led political process consistent with UN Security Council Resolution 2254,” the statement added.
The primary objective is “to establish a transitional framework that aligns with the aspirations of the Syrian people and seeks to rebuild state institutions, safeguard Syria’s territorial integrity and sovereignty, and ensure security, stability, and the rights of all citizens.”
Anti-regime forces seized the capital Damascus on Sunday after a lightning advance that sent Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fleeing to Russia after a 13-year civil war and 53 years of his family rule.