Qatar’s embassy to Syria is to renew operations on Tuesday, the Gulf emirate introduced on Sunday as its diplomats visited the nation and met with its transitional authorities following the ouster of President Bashar al-Assad.
“Qatar declares the resumption of the work of its embassy within the sisterly Syrian Arab Republic beginning the day after tomorrow, Tuesday,” the international ministry mentioned in an announcement.
It additionally names a brand new head of mission to Syria, Khalifa Abdullah Al Mahmoud Al-Sharif.
Doha closed its embassy in Damascus and recalled its ambassador in July 2011, early within the rebellion towards the Assad authorities that became a civil warfare.
In contrast to different Arab nations, Qatar by no means restored diplomatic ties with Syria underneath Assad, who was toppled by the 11-day insurgent advance that swept by means of main cities after which the capital Damascus.
Doha mentioned the return after the 13-year hiatus was “an expression of the State of Qatar’s principled stand with the Syrian folks’s revolution” in addition to a “categorical rejection of all of the repressive insurance policies of the regime” of Assad.
Earlier, international ministry spokesman Majed al-Ansari informed the official Qatar Information Company {that a} Qatari delegation was in Syria and had met with officers within the transitional authorities.
The delegation “arrived in Damascus to finish the mandatory procedures for the opening of the State of Qatar’s embassy”, Ansari mentioned.
In its conferences, “the delegation reaffirmed the State of Qatar’s full dedication to supporting the Syrian folks… following the success of their revolution,” the spokesman added.
Ansari mentioned the Qatari delegation had additionally “mentioned with the Syrian sideways to facilitate the move of Qatari humanitarian assist and assessed the wants of the Syrian brothers throughout this necessary section”.
This week, an official briefed on developments mentioned Qatar had “established the primary channel of communication” with the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which spearheaded the ouster of the previous authorities.
The official, who requested anonymity due to the sensitivity of the discussions, added the “focus of the communication with HTS and others is on the necessity… to take care of calm and protect Syria’s public establishments throughout the transition interval”.
Different governments that opposed Assad’s rule, together with Turkey and the US, have mentioned they too had established contacts with HTS.
AFP