Syria rejoins Arab League after 12-year absence

This photo taken on May 7, 2023 shows the scene of an Arab League (AL) extraordinary meeting held in Cairo, Egypt. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

CAIRO, May 7 (Xinhua) -- Arab foreign ministers decided in an Arab League (AL) extraordinary meeting held in Cairo on Sunday to restore Syria's membership in the league after 12 years of suspension, said a final statement after the meeting.

The AL council meeting at the ministerial level decided to resume "the participation of delegations of the government of Syria in the meetings of the AL council and all its organizations and bodies as of May 7, 2023," read the statement issued by the pan-Arab organization.

The Arab foreign ministers also agreed on the necessity to intensify efforts "to help Syria out of its crisis."

They renewed their commitment to "preserving Syria's sovereignty, territorial unity, stability, and regional integrity based on the AL charter and its principles," according to the statement.

The foreign ministers also agreed to form a committee comprising Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, and the AL secretary-general to continue "direct dialogue with the Syrian government to reach a comprehensive solution to the Syrian crisis."

Restoring Syria's membership at the AL was the focus of last week's meeting between the foreign ministers of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Egypt, and Syria in Jordan's capital of Amman.

The talks in Amman were part of an initiative led by Jordan for an Arab normalization with Syria whose AL membership was suspended in 2011.

A similar ministerial meeting in mid-April was held in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, by Gulf Cooperation Council states, in addition to Jordan, Egypt and Iraq, to discuss Syria's situation.

A couple of days after the meeting, Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud paid a visit to Damascus, marking the first visit of a Saudi official to Syria in 12 years.

This photo taken on May 7, 2023 shows the national flag of Syria (4th L) at the headquarters of the Arab League (AL) in Cairo, Egypt. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

This photo taken on May 7, 2023 shows the scene of an Arab League (AL) extraordinary meeting held in Cairo, Egypt. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)

This photo taken on May 7, 2023 shows the scene of an Arab League (AL) extraordinary meeting held in Cairo, Egypt. (Xinhua/Ahmed Gomaa)