Syria at a Сrossroads: The Economic and Diplomatic Games of Damascus

Alexey Khlebnikov The de-synchronized and divergent processes of a worsening economic situation in Syria on the one hand, and the diplomatic normalization with the regional actors on the other are the most important issues to look at when assessing whether Syria is on the way out of its decade-long crisis, writes Alexey Khlebnikov, a Middle…

France’s Foreign Policy Towards the Arab World is Colonial, Backward, and Detached from Reality, says Syria

Peoples Dispatch France’s Foreign Minister Catherine Colonna. (Photo: France Diplomacy/Twitter) Former colonial power France had supported the anti-Assad forces in Syria with the objective of regime change, which prolonged the war in the country. France also became part of the US-led illegal unilateral sanctions regime against Syria In a strongly worded statement on Wednesday, May…

Another Russia – Middle East Diplomacy Success

Alexandr Svaranc On May 10, an earlier announced meeting of the foreign ministers of the Astana format participants – Russia, Iran, Turkey and Syria – took place in Moscow. It should be noted that this summit of representatives of the Quartet took the baton from the heads of defense departments. The latter shows that Russia,…

Syria: The Path to Conflict Resolution is Open

Viktor Mikhin After more than a year of behind-the-scenes diplomacy, Syria’s membership in the Arab League of States (LAS) was finally restored when Arab foreign ministers reached a consensus on an issue that has been causing sharp divisions since the start of the Syrian crisis 12 years ago. On May 7, the Arab League’s foreign ministers…

Jeddah Meeting Unites the Arab League with Damascus

Steven Sahiounie Syrian President Bashar al-Assad was met at the airport by Prince Badr bin Sultan bin Abdulaziz on May 18 in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia ahead of the Arab League summit. Prince Badr, who is the Deputy Emir of Makkah Province, walked with al-Assad into the reception room, where they sat and exchanged pleasantries.  This marks the…

Railway of Resistance: A Grand Project to Connect Iran, Iraq, Syria

Mohamad Hasan Sweidan Beyond its positive economic implications, the railway project connecting Iran, Iraq, and Syria will be a geopolitical game changer by connecting the Mediterranean Sea to the Persian Gulf. Sir Halford John Mackinder, one of Britain’s most prominent theorists in the field of geopolitics, discusses the significance of land connectivity between nations in…

Assad Hails ‘Historic Opportunity’ for Regional Shift in Arab League Speech

The Cradle Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrives in Jeddah for Arab League summit. 18 May, 2023. (Photo credit: Reuters) The 32nd summit of the Arab League kicked off on 19 May in Saudi Arabia’s city of Jeddah, with several representatives and leaders of Arab states present, most notably Syrian President Bashar al-Assad – who attended the summit for…

Syrian Victory: Bashar al-Assad in Saudi Arabia

Despite American uproar, President Bashar al-Assad Thursday arrived in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, to take part in the 32nd round of the Arab League Summit. Saudi-Syrian rapprochement represents a new era in Middle Eastern politics and facilitates the rise of an international order based on mutual respect and economic cooperation.

How Syrians Survive America’s Economic Siege

Hekmat Aboukhater Syrian-American journalist Hekmat Aboukhater traveled across Homs, Lattakia, Tartous, and Aleppo this April, reporting for The Grayzone on the devastating impact of Western economic sanctions on average Syrians. Throughout 2023, a series of anti-Syrian refugee bills, a failing economy, and anti-Syrian rhetoric have deepened the plight of the two million Syrian refugees living in…

US and Syria Holding Secret Talks in Oman

The Cradle A senior diplomatic source in the Arab League has informed The Cradle that US officials are holding direct talks with a Syrian delegation, which comes in the wake of a regional push to restore relations with the war-torn country. A senior diplomatic official in the Arab League has revealed exclusively to The Cradle that secret,…