Syria officially regains its seat in Arab League
After an absence of 12 years, Syria on Sunday regained its seat in the Arab League after adopting the resolution at a closed-door meeting of Arab foreign ministers.
Jamal Rushdi, spokesman for the Secretary-General of the Arab League: The decision was taken during a closed meeting of foreign ministers at the headquarters of the League of Arab States in Cairo, according to what was reported by the agency “Reuters”.
“The meeting of Arab foreign ministers agreed that Syria should return to its seat in the Arab League,” Iraqi foreign ministry spokesman Ahmed Al-Sahhaf told the official Iraqi News Agency (INA).
“The diplomacy of dialog and Arab integration efforts adopted by Iraq have made a real effort for Syria’s return to the Arab League,” he said.
Al-Sahaf said earlier that Iraq reiterates its position on the Syrian issue and the importance of returning its seat to the Arab League in a way that would enhance its security and stability, as well as the issue in Sudan, since we are committed to the importance of adopting dialog as a way to end the current situation.
During the session of Arab foreign ministers, Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said that the only way to settle the Syrian crisis is a political solution without foreign interference, adding that “there is no military solution to the Syrian crisis.”
“All forms of terrorism in Syria must be eliminated,” he said.
Last week, the foreign ministers of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt and Syria held a consultative meeting to discuss the return of Syrian refugees from neighboring countries, extending Syrian authorities’ control over all territories, and resolving the issue of drug trafficking.
This came after another meeting held in mid-April by the Foreign Ministers of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) countries in Saudi Arabia, in which Egypt, Iraq and Jordan also participated to discuss Syria’s return to the Arab League, where they agreed on the importance of an Arab leading role in efforts to end the Syrian crisis.
The Arab League suspended Syria’s membership in November 2011 and imposed political and economic sanctions against the country following the outbreak of violence in the country.
