Arab Ministers' Meeting on Normalizing Relations with Syria Held

A group of Arab foreign ministers met with the Syrian foreign minister in Jordan on Monday to discuss the normalization of relations with Syria as part of a political resolution framework for the country's civil war. Attendees included the foreign ministers of Egypt, Iraq, Saudi Arabia, and Jordan. The Jordanian Foreign Ministry stated that prior to the meeting in Amman, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad held a bilateral meeting with his Jordanian counterpart Ayman Safadi. They discussed issues related to refugees, water, and border security, including the fight against drug trafficking. According to Reuters, this meeting marks the first dialogue between the Syrian government and a group of Arab countries since the crackdown on opponents of President Bashar al-Assad and the suspension of Damascus's membership in the Arab League in 2011. Jordan is urging Syria to cooperate with Arab countries on solutions to end internal conflicts, address refugee issues, detainees, drug trafficking, and Iranian-backed militias in Syria, all of which impact Syria's neighbors. Jordan is combating armed groups that smuggle drugs from Syria, as it is both a destination and a main route for drug trafficking to Gulf oil states. Two weeks ago, another meeting in Saudi Arabia among members of the Gulf Cooperation Council, as well as Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq, failed to reach an agreement on Syria's potential return to the Arab community. Arab countries most affected by the Syrian civil war are seeking to agree on a potential invitation for Bashar al-Assad to the Arab League summit on May 19 in Riyadh. If invited, these countries want to negotiate with him on the pace of normalizing relations with Damascus and under what conditions Syria could be allowed to return to the Arab community. Saudi Arabia has long resisted normalizing relations with Assad but has stated that a new approach with Damascus is needed following its rapprochement with Iran. Syria, an ally of Iran, is under Western sanctions. At the Saudi meeting, there was resistance from Qatar, Jordan, and Kuwait against efforts to invite Assad, stating that it is too early for a peace agreement with Damascus. According to officials, the Jordanian foreign minister met with the U.S. Assistant Secretary of State for Near Eastern Affairs, Barbara Leaf, on Sunday. It was previously reported that Leaf would be in Iraq and Jordan from Saturday, April 29 to Friday, May 5, discussing key U.S. issues in the region, including economic cooperation and security challenges. Washington has stated that it will not change its policy towards the Syrian government, which it labels a 'rogue' state, and has urged Arab countries to seek concessions in exchange for engaging with Assad.