Manama: Saudi Arabia is consulting with Arab states to implement Resolution 2254 on Syria, State Minister for Foreign Affairs Adel Al Jubeir said.
Arab states are studying the Syrian file and they are seeking to develop an approach based on maintaining Syria’s unity, removing foreign forces and implementing UN Security Council resolutions, Al Jubeir said in Brussels where he was attending the European Union-Arab League ministerial meeting that brought together foreign ministers from both sides.
European and Arab countries are facing common challenges, such as fighting extremism, and there are promises about trade and investment, Al Jubeir said.
“These meetings provide an opportunity to explore ways of cooperation and explore opportunities.”
The Arab League expelled Syria in November 2011, and imposed economic and political sanctions over its failure to stop the violence and appealed to its member states to withdraw their ambassadors from Damascus.
Several Arab countries are now calling for re-building relations with Syria, but its re-admission in the League has to be supported by the member states.
At the Arab League-European Union meetings, the ministers focused in in particular on regional issues as well as on current global challenges that both Europe and the Arab world are facing, such as terrorism, climate change, migration, and human rights situations, organisers said.
The meeting was expected to express the commitment to deepen the Euro-Arab partnership to build peace and stability, guarantee security, foster economic, social and technological development, as well as to further strengthen and promote multilateralism and a rules-based order.
The dialogue and cooperation between the Arab league and the European Union entered a new phase in 2011 and high-level dialogue between them has been conducted regularly since then, concentrating on regional challenges.
The two sides maintain advanced and cordial relations that have been structured by a Memorandum of Understanding signed in 2015.
