Saudi Arabia and Syria are in favor of the Syrian state's control over all of its territory. This was stated in a joint statement issued following talks between Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud and Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad on Wednesday in Jeddah.
"The two sides pointed to the need to support Syrian state institutions and expand their control over Syrian territory in order to end armed formations and outside interference in Syria's internal affairs," the foreign ministers stressed in the statement, cited by the Saudi Press Agency. During the talks, the document said, the ministers "discussed the efforts needed to achieve a political solution to the Syrian crisis while maintaining territorial integrity, security, stability and Arab identity." The importance of fighting terrorism "in all its forms and manifestations" was noted.
The statement stressed that "achieving a comprehensive political settlement that will ensure national reconciliation will contribute to Syria's return to its Arab environment and the restoration of its role in the Arab world."
During the talks in Jeddah, the two foreign ministers agreed on "the need to resolve [Syria's] humanitarian problems, create suitable circumstances for the delivery of aid to all regions of Syria, prepare the necessary conditions for the return of Syrian refugees and displaced individuals to their home areas <...> and allow them to return safely to their homeland, and take additional measures to contribute to the stabilization of the situation in all Syrian territories." The Saudi and Syrian ministers welcomed "the start of procedures for resuming consular services in the two countries and restoring air traffic between the two states," the foreign ministers said in a statement.
Syria's foreign and emigration minister arrived in Jeddah on Wednesday. This is the first visit of such a high-level Syrian politician to Saudi Arabia since the beginning of the internal Syrian conflict in 2011. It comes ahead of a meeting of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC), which in addition to Saudi Arabia includes Bahrain, Kuwait, Oman, Qatar and the United Arab Emirates (UAE). The meeting, scheduled to be held next Friday in Jeddah, is set to discuss the restoration of Syria's full membership in the Arab League. Representatives of Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq have also been invited to the meeting.
On Syria's membership in League
Damascus' membership in the Arab League was suspended in November 2011 at the height of the Syrian crisis. Recently, Bahrain, the UAE and Oman resumed the work of their diplomatic missions in Damascus. Some time ago, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad paid official visits to the UAE and Oman. However, the restoration of Syria's membership in the League remains a controversial issue in the Arab community.
GSV "Russia - Islamic world"
Based on materials from TASS