... regimes were enforced and tightened very slowly. However, the speed at which the entire package of sanctions against Syria was agreed upon is astonishing by EU standards. In addition, the EU is legitimizing its actions by referring to the policy of the Arab League that shut the door on the possibility of a Syrian official to attend the organization’s meetings, and to the fact that the sanctions are imposed in unison with the United States. Thus, the EU
showed
“Atlantic unity” and supported the “democratic revolutions” in the Middle East.
The ...
... “heart” of the Arab world. This, nevertheless, did not prevent other Arab countries from responding to the unfolding violence in Syria by freezing its membership in an important regional structure, the Arab League, in 2011. Speaking about the return of Syria to the Arab League, Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov said: “Arab diplomacy is very, very famous for its effectiveness, so it seems to me that here we can expect that the issue will be resolved, and, I hope, quite quickly.” However, there are a number ...
... of the Valdai Discussion Club in Sochi.
Moscow could suggest that Riyadh take a more active role. With the ascendancy of two regional players, Iran and Turkey, Russia deems it important to the balance of power in Syria.
Tatyana Shmeleva:
The Odds of Syria’s Return to the Arab League: Opportunities and Threats
Moreover, Moscow will work toward convincing Riyadh to facilitate Damascus’ return to the Arab League. Foreign Minister Lavrov has been pushing forward with the idea of Syria’s return to the Arab League since ...
... from the pan-Arab organization and believed that it was unfair and illegal. Clearly he had every reason to say this, as the decision was essentially an attempt to interfere in internal affairs of a sovereign state. By taking the decision to suspend Syria, the Arab League proved itself not to be an organization that promotes dialogue, cooperation and mutual assistance, but merely a tool used by influential Arab countries to redraw the map of the Middle East in cahoots with the West.
Andrey Kortunov, Michel ...
... another, and bigger, international framework, namely the United Nations (UN), which continues to consider the government in Damascus as legitimate and work with its mission. Second, it is because the exclusion of Damascus hinders the possibility that the Arab League may successfully play the role of peacemaker, thus helping to rid Syria of the nightmare of civil war.
Another issue usually raised by our US partners concerns the need for a joint agreement about the search for “undeclared” and hidden chemical weapons. The Russian side is not enthusiastic about this topic ...
... clout. Nevertheless, the Palestinian track seems to offer just about the only area for the LAS to exhibit a semblance of unity, at least to confirm its adherence to the Arab Peace Initiative and appeal for an intra-Palestinian reconciliation.
Russia and Arab League: Moving Closer on Syria
Differences between Russia and the LAS over the Syrian crisis are giving way to a
more constructive agenda
that allows Russia and countries of the region to markedly step up their efforts and expand the horizons for the bilateral dialogue. Moscow’s ...
