![Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, Minister of Foreign Affairs of Saudi Arabia meets Bashar al-Assad on April 18, 2023 in Damascus, Syria [Saudi Arabian Foreign Ministry/Anadolu Agency]](https://i0.wp.com/www.middleeastmonitor.com/wp-content/uploads/2023/04/AA-20230418-30889579-30889576-SAUDI_FOREIGN_MINISTER_VISITS_SYRIA_FOR_1ST_TIME_IN_12_YEARS-e1683724460908.jpg?fit=1199%2C800&ssl=1)
The United Arab Emirates has invited Syrian President, Bashar Al-Assad, to the COP28 climate summit it is hosting at the end of the year, possibly placing him in the same venue as Western leaders who have opposed and sanctioned him for years, Syrian state news agency, SANA, reports.
According to the report, the invitation was extended by UAE President, Sheikh Mohamed bin Zayed, the UAE embassy in Damascus tweeted the same.
#رئيس_الدولة يتلقى اتصالاً هاتفياً من #الرئيس_السوري ويبحثان علاقات البلدين الشقيقين و سبل تعزيز التعاون المشترك في مختلف المجالات بما يخدم مصالحهما المتبادلة
وعبر الرئيس بشار الأسد عن تقدير سورية للدور الذي تقوم به دولة #الإمارات من أجل لم الشمل وتحسين العلاقات العربية بما يعزز… pic.twitter.com/aEYX4udDuI
— وكالة أنباء الإمارات (@wamnews) May 8, 2023
Arab countries, including the UAE, have actively sought to re-establish ties with Damascus even though the United States is sceptical and has said that it does not see the merit in Assad’s re-admission to the Arab League.Thousands of world leaders, diplomats and dignitaries are expected to attend the COP28 climate summit in Dubai in December.
READ: The UAEs unclear role in Syrias return to the fold of the Arab League
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