Egypt says Syria's return to Arab League does not entail full normalization

By Ibrahim Al-Khazen

ANKARA (AA) – Egyptian Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry said Syria’s readmission to the Arab League does not entail full normalization of relations with the Syrian regime.

On Sunday, the Cairo-based Arab League reinstated Syria’s membership after 12 years of suspension.

“Syria's return to the Arab League does not qualify for full normalization with its government,” Shourky said in televised statements.

“Reinstating Syria raises the level of representation. But this was a first step to creating a vision, understanding, and procedures that promote confidence,” he added.

Regarding the US opposition to Syria’s readmission to the Arab League, the top Egyptian diplomat termed the decision as an “Arab issue”.

“This is an Arab issue that concerns an Arab country that has been exposed to a decade of internal conflict. We must find a solution for the situation at hand,” he said.

On Tuesday, Saudi Arabia announced the resumption of the work of its diplomatic mission in Syria.

Egypt, however, still maintains low diplomatic representation with Syria.

The decision to reinstate Syria's membership to the Arab League came ahead of the annual Arab summit in Saudi Arabia on May 19.

Syria was suspended from the 22-state body in 2011 over the regime’s brutal crackdown on pro-democracy protests, which led to a civil war.

The Syrian regime, however, began to exchange official visits and contacts with several Arab countries in recent months.

*Writing by Ikram Kouachi