Syria's Prez Assad visits UAE, first trip to an Arab state since war

Syrian President Bashar Assad was in the United Arab Emirates on Friday, his office said, marking his first visit to an Arab country since Syria’s civil war erupted in 2011.

In a statement posted on its social media pages, the office says that Assad met with Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid Al Maktoum, vice president and prime minister of the UAE and the ruler of Dubai. The two discussed expanding bilateral relations between their countries, it said.

It marks a potential warming in Syria's relations with its Arab neighbours, which had previously isolated Assad.

Assad met with the UAE's de facto ruler, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan, discussing "fraternal relations" between the two countries, the WAM news agency reported.

They also discussed efforts to "contribute to the consolidation of security, stability and peace in the Arab region and the Middle East", it added.

Sheikh Mohammed said he hoped the visit would "pave the way for goodness, peace and stability to prevail in Syria and the entire region", WAM said.

The pair also discussed ways of "preserving the territorial integrity of Syria and the withdrawal of foreign forces from the country," it said, as well as means of providing "political and humanitarian support for Syria".

Meanwhile, the US says it is “profoundly disappointed and troubled” by the visit of Syrian dictator Bashar Assad to the UAE, his first trip to an Arab country since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war.

“We are profoundly disappointed and troubled by this apparent attempt to legitimize Bashar Al-Assad, who remains responsible and accountable for the death and suffering of countless Syrians,” says US State Department Spokesperson Ned Price.

The UAE is one of the six Gulf Cooperation Council member states that took a tough stance against Damascus in 2012 and eventually recognised an opposition umbrella group as the representative of Syria.

Damascus has struggled to secure international aid, namely from oil-rich Arab states.

But in recent years relations between the two countries have gradually improved, with the UAE spearheading efforts to bring Syria back into the Arab fold despite protests from Washington.

In 2018 the UAE reopened its embassy in Syria's capital, Damascus, and in November last year, diplomats were sent there to there to meet President Assad.

Even if gradual, any improvement of ties with a wealthy Gulf neighbour would be a boost to Assad's government, which has been crippled by Western sanctions and international isolation.