For the first time after an absence of 12 years, a Syrian delegation headed by Minister of Economy Muhammad Samer Al-Khalil participated today (Monday) in a preparatory meeting that precedes the upcoming Arab summit on May 19.
According to scenes broadcast by the Saudi Al-Ikhbariya channel from inside the meeting of the Economic and Social Council preparatory to the summit in Jeddah, the Syrian delegation, headed by the Minister of Economy, appeared while sitting on his country’s seat, which had been vacant over the past years.
At the outset of the meeting, Finance Minister Mohammed Al-Jadaan welcomed Syria’s return to the League of Arab States, expressing his aspiration to work with everyone to achieve what the leaders and people aspire to.
The League of Arab States decided, at the level of foreign ministers, on May 7, that Syria would return to participate in its meetings, after diplomatic moves between Damascus and Arab capitals in recent months, which led to the return of ambassadors, the opening of embassies and the resumption of relations.
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad received an official invitation from the Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Salman bin Abdulaziz to participate in the summit, and this will be his first participation since he attended the Sirte summit in Libya in 2010.
