In Jeddah, a two-faced Arab League summit

This Arab League summit was notably marked by the return of Bashar al-Assad's Syria. AP

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3 min

The 22 countries of the Arab League have been meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, since Friday to discuss the major issues facing the region... and the world. With a revenant and a surprise guest.

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If 23 leaders were present this Friday in Jeddah, it is above all two faces who marked the summit of the Arab League. On the one hand, that of Bashar al-Assad. The Syrian president arrived all smiles, warmly welcomed by Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, reports our special envoy, Guilhem Delteil.

His return was expected. After twelve years of suspension due to the repression of the protest movement against the regime, Syria was officially reintegrated into the organization two weeks ago. And Bashar al-Assad wants to see the possible beginning of a "new phase in joint Arab action in favor of solidarity, peace in the region".

► READ ALSO: In Jeddah, Saudi Arabia poses as a unifier of the "Arab family"

At the end of the summit, the Syrian president held talks with Crown Prince and de facto ruler of the kingdom, Mohammed bin Salman, hailing the resumption of relations between the two countries after eleven years of rupture, according to the official Syrian news agency SANA. Earlier in the day, he met with Tunisian President Kais Saeed and UAE Vice President Sheikh Mansour bin Zayed, whose country has been very active in reintegrating Damascus into the Arab League.

The communiqué issued at the end of the summit stressed the "need to take effective and efficient measures to reach a settlement" of the conflict in Syria. The Arab heads of state also agreed to "strengthen cooperation" on issues "related to refugees, terrorism and drug trafficking," according to the text. The war in Syria, where fighting has largely fallen silent, has left an estimated half a million dead, as well as millions of refugees and displaced persons.

« Some of you close your eyes »

Another face that marked this summit, that of Volodymyr Zelensky. Invited by Saudi Arabia, the Ukrainian president called on the leaders of the region to "take an honest look" at the war in his country. "Unfortunately, some countries around the world and here among you are turning a blind eye to these illegal prisons and annexations," he said. A staunch ally of Moscow, Syria is one of five countries to have voted against UN Security Council resolutions calling on Russia to cease hostilities in Ukraine.

Volodymyr Zelensky said on social networks that he had also spoken with the Saudi crown prince to talk about "the main points of the Ukrainian peace formula". He also discussed other bilateral meetings with leaders of a region far less united in its support for Ukraine than its European and American allies.

The participation of the Ukrainian president was unexpected, announced only in the morning. Surprising too, because in general, the Arab countries have maintained a cautious attitude on the Russian-Ukrainian conflict, being careful not to offend Moscow. But for Saudi Arabia, this invitation was a way to round off the angles. His reconciliation with Bashar al-Assad's Syria has earned him criticism. By welcoming Volodymyr Zelensky, it shows that it wants to seize the various crises of the world. His crown prince has also offered to mediate between Kiev and Moscow.

(

And with AFP)

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Read on on the same topics:

• Saudi Arabia
• Syria
• Bashar al-Assad
• Volodymyr Zelensky
• Ukraine