With Iraq's participation, Riyadh hosts major talks to support Syria

Shafaq News/ On Sunday, the Saudi capital, Riyadh, will host two major meetings for Arab foreign ministers, with Iraq participating, alongside Western countries including France, the UK, Germany, Italy, Turkiye, and Spain.

The discussions, building on the meeting about a post-Al-Assad Syria, held in Aqaba, Jordan, on December 14th, 2024, aim to support Syria by backing a Syrian-led transitional process that includes all political and social forces. The talks also emphasize solidarity with Syria in preserving its unity, territorial integrity, sovereignty, and the safety of its citizens.

Regarding the participants, Iraqi Foreign Minister Fuad Hussein will attend, along with Arab and foreign ministers. Also expected are UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir O. Pedersen and Former EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy Josep Borrell.

Furthermore, US Under Secretary of State for Political Affairs, John Bass, is set to attend this “Saudi-hosted multilateral meeting in Riyadh on Jan 12 to coordinate with our global and regional partners our shared commitment and support for the Syrian people,” he posted on X.

Notably, these meetings are the largest since the fall of Bashar al-Assad's regime, with representatives from the new Syrian administration and around 17 countries, including those from the Gulf Cooperation Council, the Arab Ministerial Contact Committee on Syria, and UN and EU committees.