By Viola Fahmy
ABU DHABI (AA) - The United Arab Emirates (UAE) is set to reopen its embassy in Syria after a seven-year hiatus, the UAE Foreign Ministry announced Thursday.
"Abu Dhabi has announced the resumption of operations at the UAE’s embassy in Damascus," the country’s official WAM news agency reported, citing an official Foreign Ministry statement.
In 2011, the UAE closed its embassy in Damascus after the eruption of the Syrian uprising and the subsequent crackdown on protesters by the Assad regime.
According to media reports, restoration work is now underway at the embassy, suggesting that ties between Damascus and Abu Dhabi may soon be restored.
In November, the Assad regime said it would welcome moves by any Arab state to reestablish formal relations.