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The ruler has visited an Arab country for the first time since the civil war broke out. That’s the background.
Why is? Syrian ruler Bashar al-Assad has visited another Arab country for the first time since the civil war broke out. Assad arrived in Abu Dhabi on Friday after 11 years on a visit to the United Arab Emirates.
What significance does this journey have for the ruler? According to SRF Middle East correspondent Susanne Brunner, the trip will not change the situation in Syria, but it will add value to Assad. “It’s not the first contact with Arab heads of state, but it’s an official state visit. That goes down well at home, at least in the state media.” The visit is a start, says Brunner. Assad wants to normalize relations with the Arab world in particular, because these have been frozen since 2011. Aid to Syria’s struggling economy also depends on it.
Legend:
It is not Assad’s first state visit abroad. He recently met Russian President Putin. (archive image)
Keystone/AP Pool Sputnik Kremlin/MIKHAIL KLIMENTYEV
How is the situation in Syria? Syria is in a miserable situation. “Over 80 percent of the population lives in poverty, around six million people are refugees in their own country,” says Brunner. In areas without fighting, reconstruction is progressing slowly. Syria is under sanctions and there is a shortage of bread, electricity and petrol.
What does the trip mean for Syria itself? Assad’s visit to the Emirates will not immediately change the situation in the country. But there is hope for a normalization of relations with Arab countries, at least for those people who do not have to fear arrest in Syria because of their anti-government attitude.
Why was Assad invited now? According to the Middle East correspondent, the time of the visit has to do with the Ukraine war. “It had been planned for a long time, but it took on new urgency because the world is focused on Ukraine. The world will probably forget the plight in Syria. Aid organizations already lack money for Syrian people in need. And the plight will only be exacerbated by Western sanctions against Russia.”
Legend:
According to the Syrian state news agency Sana, Assad (2nd from left) 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 Rashid al-Maktoum, the Emir of Dubai (3rd from left). fl).
Keystone/MINISTRY OF PRESIDENTIAL AFFAIRS ABU DHABI
Why is Russia an important player in Syria? “Russia saved Assad from falling and controls Syrian airspace,” says Brunner. “If Russia should run out of money for its Syria commitment, the entire region is threatened with chaos. The Shiite superpower Iran, which already has armed groups in Syria, Lebanon and Iraq, will jump into the power vacuum. The Sunni rulers in the region in particular do not want to take this risk.” The West limits its engagement to sanctions and hopes that Syria will overnight become a democratic state according to Western ideas. “This attitude leads to a blockade in the region and does not solve the huge refugee problem in neighboring countries such as Lebanon, Jordan and Turkey.”
What are the reactions from the Arab states? According to Brunner, the efforts to normalize relations with Syria in the Arab region are not entirely new. Jordan and Lebanon have already taken unsuccessful steps in this direction and asked the USA to ease sanctions on Syria. “The fact that the Emirates are taking the initiative and inviting President Assad is being cautiously positively commented on in most state media in the region.”
There is still no agreement as to whether Syria should be reinstated in the Arab League. “But Realpolitik will possibly accelerate this step. The Sunni states in the region in particular fear that the influence of the Shiite superpower Iran will increase.”