“Disappointed and Concerned”
Assad’s visit to Dubai surprises the US
03/20/2022 01:29 am
The ruler of Damascus has not traveled to any Arab country since the war in Syria. Assad is now paying a visit to the United Arab Emirates. The USA reacted sharply to the feared rapprochement between the dictator and their ally.
The United States has expressed its “deeply disappointment” over a visit by Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad to the United Arab Emirates. “We are deeply disappointed and concerned by this apparent attempt to legitimize Bashar al-Assad,” said US State Department spokesman Ned Price. The Syrian President made a surprise trip to the Emirates the day before – it was his first official visit to an Arab country since the start of the Syrian civil war in 2011.
Assad remains “responsible and accountable for the deaths and suffering of countless Syrians,” Price said. He urged US allies not to normalize relations with Assad’s Syria in the face of the regime’s “horrific atrocities.” The United Arab Emirates is a key US partner and has also normalized relations with Israel since 2020.
Cheerful Assad in a lively exchange
Sana and the Emirati state agency WAM published pictures of the visit. A good-humoured Assad can be seen in a lively exchange with the Emirati representatives. Accordingly, Assad held talks with the Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi and de facto ruler of the Gulf State, Sheikh Mohammed bin Sajid Al Nahjan, and with Sheikh Mohammed bin Raschid al-Maktoum, the Emir of Dubai. Among other things, he spoke to bin Sajid about the withdrawal of foreign forces from Syria and about “political and humanitarian support for Syria and its people,” WAM reported.
Syria was expelled from the Arab League in 2011. The following year, the United Arab Emirates severed ties with Syria. For some time now, however, the two Arab states have been moving towards each other again. In December 2018, the United Arab Emirates reopened its embassy in Damascus.
Russia also got involved in the war in Syria. With Moscow’s support, Assad’s forces have regained control of large parts of the country in recent years. Moscow is currently recruiting thousands of fighters in Syria for its war of aggression against Ukraine. They are supposed to go into battle for the regular Russian army or with militias.