Syria’s President Assad meets Bahrain FM to discuss bilateral relations

In a landmark meeting, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad welcomed Bahrain’s Foreign Minister Abdul Latif Bin Rashid Al-Zayani to Damascus yesterday, reported SANA news agency. It was the first visit by a Bahraini foreign minister to Syria in 13 years, indicating a thaw in relations between the two countries.

During the meeting, the pair discussed various aspects of bilateral relations with the aim of enhancing cooperation across multiple sectors for mutual benefit. They focused on strengthening Arab solidarity and working together to ensure regional stability amid current global events.

Bahrain's top diplomat meets #Syria's Assad after 13 yearshttps://t.co/Qebki9WXsZ pic.twitter.com/xUl65nXCLb

— IRNA News Agency (@IrnaEnglish) April 28, 2024

Al-Zayani’s visit also included discussions with his Syrian counterpart Faisal Al-Mekdad. Topics on the agenda included preparations for the upcoming Arab Summit, set to be held in Manama. Both sides expressed the necessity of strengthening relations and emphasised that the summit should bolster the process of Arab joint action and enable Arab countries to face challenges effectively.

The visit by Bahrain’s top diplomat, part of an Arab tour, comes after President Al-Assad received an official invitation to participate in the 33rd round of the Arab Summit, scheduled for 16 May, from King Hamad Bin Isa Al-Khalifa.

Bahrain is notable for being the second Arab state after the UAE to reopen its embassy in Damascus in 2018. Last May, amid increased regional normalisation with Damascus, the Arab League readmitted Syria after more than a decade of the suspension of its membership over the government’s crackdown of pro-democracy protests as part of the wider Arab Spring in 2011.

READ: Arab League to convene on Wednesday to discuss Israel onslaught on Gaza