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ALGIERS — Syria’s chief diplomat has began a go to to Algeria and Tunisia as a part of efforts to revive diplomatic relationships within the Arab world, greater than a decade after his nation was globally remoted amid President Bashar Assad’s brutal crackdown on mass protests in opposition to his rule.
International Minister Faisal Mikdad was welcomed on Saturday within the lounge of Algiers airport by his Algerian counterpart Ahmed Attaf.
In remarks broadcast by Algerian public tv. Mikdad insisted that “relations between the 2 brotherly international locations exist and can live on … past the vicissitudes of the scenario.”
“My go to shall be a chance for discussions between the 2 international locations on the newest developments within the area. We have to strengthen this bilateral relationship,” he added.
Algeria is among the few Arab international locations that didn’t minimize off relations with Syria through the civil battle that adopted the 2011 rebellion.
Mikdad notably praised Algeria’s assist after the devastating Feb. 6 earthquake that killed tens of hundreds in Syria and neighboring Turkey.
He was additionally bearing a message from Assad to his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the Algerian official APS information company reported.
The go to comes after Mikdad’s go to to Saudi Arabia on Wednesday that led each international locations to announce they had been transferring towards reopening embassies and resuming flights for the primary time in additional than a decade.
Syria was extensively shunned by Arab governments over Assad’s brutal crackdown on protesters in 2011. The breakdown in relations culminated in Syria being ousted from the Arab League.
Nonetheless, in recent times, as Assad consolidated management over many of the nation, Syria’s neighbors have begun to take steps towards rapprochement.
A gaggle of regional leaders who met in Saudi Arabia promised Saturday to proceed talks to succeed in a political resolution to the Syrian battle, however stopped wanting endorsing its return to the Arab League. The assembly included high diplomats from the Arab Gulf international locations in addition to Egypt, Jordan and Iraq.
Mikdad additionally made a current journey to Egypt in a step towards normalizing ties.
He’s scheduled to go to Tunisia on Monday, the place he’s to reopen Syria’s embassy.
Tunisian President Kais Saied introduced earlier this month that he had directed the nation’s overseas ministry to nominate a brand new ambassador to Syria. His transfer was reciprocated by the Syrian authorities, in line with Syrian state information company SANA.