Relentless Emirati efforts to restore security and stability to Syria

Emirati Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed went on Wednesday, January 4, to the Syrian capital, Damascus, on his second visit, where he met Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, and they discussed many bilateral issues and the situation in the region.

According to a statement published by the official page of the Syrian presidency, Assad praised the relations between the two countries, describing them as historic and pointing to their depth and continuity in the interest of regional issues and the establishment of stability.

UAE's positive role in the Arab region

During his meeting with the Emirati foreign minister, President Assad pointed out the importance of the United Arab Emirates and the positive role it plays in the Arab region.

For his part, UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed expressed Abu Dhabi's keenness to support the efforts made to find a political solution to restore Syria's security, stability and unity.

The foreign minister’s visit to the Syrian capital comes at a time when the region is witnessing successive and accelerating political developments, most notably the upcoming Turkish-Syrian meeting this week under Russian auspices.

Emirati efforts for Syrian-Turkish rapprochement

The UAE is seeking to join Russia in sponsoring the Syrian-Turkish rapprochement process, as Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad and Turkish Foreign Minister Mevlut Cavusoglu met in the presence of Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov in Moscow on Wednesday, January 11, amid efforts to arrange the participation of UAE Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed in the meeting.

This meeting paves the way for a summit that includes Russian President Vladimir Putin, Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

Observers describe Ankara's shift towards Damascus as a means to win the trust of the Turkish street with the upcoming presidential elections in Turkey and Erdogan's desire to resolve some issues, especially with regard to the file of returning Syrian refugees.

According to Bloomberg, Ankara's intention to conclude a deal with Damascus came with Emirati and Russian support, with the aim of improving Syria's position in the region, thus contributing to balancing the Iranian influence penetrating the Syrian territories.

Analysts link the visit of the UAE foreign minister to the Syrian capital with efforts to improve the situation of the Syrian pound and stop its deterioration to levels in which inflation has increased dramatically, as the exchange rate of the US dollar reached 7,000 Syrian pounds.