US raises concern over UAE FM's meeting with Syria's 'brutal dictator' Bashar Assad

United Arab Emirates (UAE) Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan paid a visit to Syria to meet President Bashar Assad. This visit is the first  by a UAE foreign minister since Syria's conflict started a decade ago and comes at a time when some Arab countries are making efforts to improve relations with Syria. As the visit was considered to be the "clearest signal" of a re-engagement of the Arab world with Syria, the US voiced its concern over the meeting of the diplomats, denouncing the efforts to rehabilitate the "brutal dictator", the Associated Press reported.

Speaking at a press briefing on Tuesday, State Department spokesperson Ned Price asserted that the US is "concerned by reports of this meeting and the signal it sends". Emphasising US' strong opposition to "any support for efforts to normalise or rehabilitate Bashar al-Assad", Price stated that there was no question of legitimising the regime and "there has been no change in our position." However, Price refrained from mentioning if the US has conveyed its concern to the UAE, adding that Washington was "not surprised" with the latter's move, indicating that there were similar discussions earlier.

Price also refused to call Bashar al-Assad a president and publicly called him a "brutal dictator." It is to be noted that the UAE has been playing the lead role in the Arabian countries, expecting to normalise ties with President Assad's regime in Syria. About three years ago, the UAE reopened its embassy in Damascus and earlier this year had called for the latter's readmission to the Arab League.

UAE crown prince discusses bilateral ties with Assad over phone call

As Syria ended a decade-long civil war, President Bashar Assad has been instrumental in strengthening relations and cooperation with its neighbours, especially the United Arab Emirates (UAE). As a part of the development talks, on 20 October, President Assad discussed bilateral ties with UAE crown prince and de facto ruler Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan over a telephone call, the Associated Press reported quoting Emirates News Agency. 

The UAE on 10 October also agreed on future plan to enhance economic cooperation and explore new sections in the next stage with Syria, the Ministry of Economy said in a statement released on Twitter. The value of non-oil trade between both the countries was valued at around 1 billion dirhams ($272 million) in the first half of 2021, the ministry said. Earlier in October, the UAE Finance Minister Hamdan bin Rashid Al Maktoum met his Syrian counterpart to discuss bilateral economic relations, UAE state-run WAM agency reported. The meeting took place on the sidelines of the Dubai Expo 2020.

(With inputs from AP)

(Image: AP)