DUBAI: Saudi Arabia has extended an invitation to the Foreign Minister of Syria Asaad Hassan Al-Shibani for an official visit.
Al-Shibani said on X on Monday that he had accepted an invitation from his Saudi counterpart Prince Faisal bin Farhan Al Saud, to visit the Kingdom.
تلقيت دعوة رسمية من معالي وزير الخارجية في المملكة العربية السعودية السيد فيصل بن فرحان آل سعود لزيارة المملكة، أقبل هذه الدعوة بكل حب وسرور وأتشرف بتمثيل بلدي بأول زيارة رسمية، ونتطلع لبناء علاقات استراتيجية مع الأشقاء في المملكة على كافة المجالات.
— أسعد حسن الشيباني (@Asaad_Shaibani) December 30, 2024
This would be his first foreign visit since the ouster of former president Bashar al-Assad on December 8.
“We look forward to building strategic relations with Saudi Arabia in all fields,” said a statement posted on the Syrian Arab News Agency’s X account.
Al-Shibani has expressed optimism about the future of Syrian-Saudi ties, and has stressed the importance of building strategic ties in all fields, SANA reported.
He added, “I am honoured to represent my country and look forward to this opportunity to enhance cooperation and dialogue.”
The development follows comments made by Syria’s new leader, Ahmed Al-Sharaa, who said Saudi Arabia had a major role to play in his country’s future.
“Saudi Arabia has a major role in Syria’s future, and I take pride in everything it has done for us,” he said during an interview with Al Arabiya, which aired on Sunday.
Al-Sharaa, leader of the Hayat Tahrir Al-Sham (HTS) group, spearheaded an 11-day offensive that led to the ouster of Bashar al-Assad ending the family’s five-decade rule.
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Meanwhile, Al-Sharaa told Arabic Asharq al-Awsat newspaper that Saudi Arabia and Syria look forward to a shared vision for Damascus in terms of cooperation and economic development.
“We admire the development in Gulf countries, particularly Saudi Arabia’s plans and vision, and we aspire to achieve similar progress for Syria,” he said.
Earlier this month, a high-ranking Saudi delegation headed by an advisor to the Royal Court visited Syria and met with Al-Sharaa in Damascus.
