Along with the intensification of regional and extra-regional movements to play a role in the future of Syria, some former US officials and current analysts have called for Washington’s cooperation with Riyadh. Saudi Arabia will compete with Turkey for influence in the new Syria, and this is an opportunity for the US.
Publish dateWednesday 8 January 2025 - 14:38
Story Code : 304186
Afghan Voice Agency (AVA): Seek help from Saudi Arabia for “direct talks between the Tahrir al-Sham and Israel.” This is the recommendation of the Middle East Director of the US National Security Council in the Obama administration.
On Wednesday last week, the Tahrir al-Sham sent Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra to Riyadh on their first foreign trip. This trip was made at the invitation of Saudi Arabia.
The rebels’ senior diplomat expressed hope that Syria could establish strategic relations with Saudi Arabia in all fields.
This trip took place a week after the Saudi delegation met with Abu Muhammad al-Julani at the Syrian presidential palace. He previously said in an interview with Al Arabiya that Saudi Arabia has an important role in Syria's future.
Al-Jolani also told the newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that he is willing to benefit from the development model of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries in Syria.
Former US State Department diplomat and former Pentagon official Adam Clements said about the Damascus delegation's visit to Riyadh that Saudi Arabia is trying to establish stronger relations with Syria from a diplomatic perspective.
According to Clements, "Saudi Arabia will play a major role in starting the reconstruction. Syria is very dependent on Iran in terms of oil and fuel, and the (southern) Gulf countries can support it."
Saudi Arabia's new moves come at a time when Riyadh had cut off relations with Syria in 2012 in support of the opposition to the government of Bashar al-Assad, but relations between the two sides were normalized in 2023.
The American website Al-Monitor reported on Riyadh's goals in its report yesterday about Saudi Arabia hosting ministers from the Golani government.
According to the media outlet, Saudi Arabia is eyeing "a strategic opportunity to fill the US vacuum, confront the decline of Iran's influence, and stabilize relations with Syria through aid, partnership, and engagement with Islamist factions."
Al-Monitor's emphasis on Riyadh's efforts to fill Washington's vacuum comes at a time when some former American officials and experts have called for Washington to cooperate with Riyadh to chart the future of developments in Syria.
In a joint note at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Government, think tank, Steven Simon, the director of the Middle East and North Africa Department of the US National Security Council and Joshua Landis, the director of the Middle East Studies Center at the University of Oklahoma, called for US cooperation with Saudi Arabia on Syria.
According to the two, "Saudi Arabia will compete with Turkey for influence in the new Syria," and this is an opportunity for the US.
They said, of course, that the US must consider these issues: “the roots of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Israeli interests, previous implicit US commitments to the Syrian Kurds, fears of the resurgence of ISIS, and troubled relations with Turkey.”
Simon and Landis also recommended:
“1. Establish formal lines of communication with the new regime.
2. Work with the Syrian Kurds, Turkey, and the new government on arrangements that will protect the security of the Kurds inside Syria.
3. Prepare for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syrian soil.
4. Reassure the new government that, in return for cooperation on Kurdish security and with the international coalition against ISIS, the United States will return control of the oil fields to the new government.
5. Direct talks—possibly with Saudi assistance—between HTS and Israel and help create conditions that will end Israeli attacks in Syria.
6. Work with HTS and Turkey to keep Turkish forces away from the Israel-Syria border.
7. Work with Congress to secure a grace period of at least six months during which no new sanctions will be imposed and existing sanctions will be suspended.”
On Wednesday last week, the Tahrir al-Sham sent Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani and Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra to Riyadh on their first foreign trip. This trip was made at the invitation of Saudi Arabia.
The rebels’ senior diplomat expressed hope that Syria could establish strategic relations with Saudi Arabia in all fields.
This trip took place a week after the Saudi delegation met with Abu Muhammad al-Julani at the Syrian presidential palace. He previously said in an interview with Al Arabiya that Saudi Arabia has an important role in Syria's future.
Al-Jolani also told the newspaper Asharq Al-Awsat that he is willing to benefit from the development model of Saudi Arabia and the Gulf Cooperation Council countries in Syria.
Former US State Department diplomat and former Pentagon official Adam Clements said about the Damascus delegation's visit to Riyadh that Saudi Arabia is trying to establish stronger relations with Syria from a diplomatic perspective.
According to Clements, "Saudi Arabia will play a major role in starting the reconstruction. Syria is very dependent on Iran in terms of oil and fuel, and the (southern) Gulf countries can support it."
Saudi Arabia's new moves come at a time when Riyadh had cut off relations with Syria in 2012 in support of the opposition to the government of Bashar al-Assad, but relations between the two sides were normalized in 2023.
The American website Al-Monitor reported on Riyadh's goals in its report yesterday about Saudi Arabia hosting ministers from the Golani government.
According to the media outlet, Saudi Arabia is eyeing "a strategic opportunity to fill the US vacuum, confront the decline of Iran's influence, and stabilize relations with Syria through aid, partnership, and engagement with Islamist factions."
Al-Monitor's emphasis on Riyadh's efforts to fill Washington's vacuum comes at a time when some former American officials and experts have called for Washington to cooperate with Riyadh to chart the future of developments in Syria.
In a joint note at the Quincy Institute for Responsible Government, think tank, Steven Simon, the director of the Middle East and North Africa Department of the US National Security Council and Joshua Landis, the director of the Middle East Studies Center at the University of Oklahoma, called for US cooperation with Saudi Arabia on Syria.
According to the two, "Saudi Arabia will compete with Turkey for influence in the new Syria," and this is an opportunity for the US.
They said, of course, that the US must consider these issues: “the roots of Hayat Tahrir al-Sham, Israeli interests, previous implicit US commitments to the Syrian Kurds, fears of the resurgence of ISIS, and troubled relations with Turkey.”
Simon and Landis also recommended:
“1. Establish formal lines of communication with the new regime.
2. Work with the Syrian Kurds, Turkey, and the new government on arrangements that will protect the security of the Kurds inside Syria.
3. Prepare for the withdrawal of U.S. forces from Syrian soil.
4. Reassure the new government that, in return for cooperation on Kurdish security and with the international coalition against ISIS, the United States will return control of the oil fields to the new government.
5. Direct talks—possibly with Saudi assistance—between HTS and Israel and help create conditions that will end Israeli attacks in Syria.
6. Work with HTS and Turkey to keep Turkish forces away from the Israel-Syria border.
7. Work with Congress to secure a grace period of at least six months during which no new sanctions will be imposed and existing sanctions will be suspended.”
avapress.com/vdcbwabf0rhbg8p.4eur.html
Top hits
