Arab League chief says no agreement on Syria return

Secretary-General of the Arab League Ahmed Aboul Gheit (C) seen at the 28th Arab League Summit Preparatory Meeting of Permanent Representatives in Amman, Jordan on March 26, 2017 [Salah Malkawi / Anadolu Agency]

Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said yesterday that there is no consensus among Arab countries regarding Syria’s return to the Arab League.

“I follow this issue very closely, but I have not yet observed conclusions that lead to the consensus that we are talking about,” Aboul Gheit said. He added that this consensus was needed as a precursor to “a meeting of foreign ministers in which they announce the end of differences and call on Syria to return to the League”.

Gheit continued: “There are no indications that the situation is ripe for Syria while discussions about its return are done in the hallways. There must be consensus on its return. The issue of Syria’s return to the Arab League is linked to political consensus.”

The Arab League suspended Syria’s membership in November 2011 over its crackdown on protesters during the early phase of the Arab Spring.

READ: Abbas agrees to return of Syria to Arab League

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