Arab League agrees to readmit Syria with conditions

A general view shows the opening session of the meeting of Arab foreign ministers at the Arab League Headquarters, to discuss the Sudan and Syrian situations, in Cairo, Egypt, May 7, 2023. [Reuters]

Arab League foreign ministers, meeting in Cairo Sunday, have agreed to restore Syria's membership in the League after a suspension of over 10 years due to the country's civil war. The ministers also agreed to support the U.S.-Saudi peace initiative to resolve the conflict in Sudan.

The Arab League Foreign Minister's decision to restore Syria's membership in the body was reportedly not unanimous but was made in a majority vote taken during a closed session. The move comes days before a scheduled Arab League summit in the Saudi capital, Riyadh.

An Arab League statement noted that the "resolution of the Syria conflict is a step-by-step matter," and that the first step was the resumption of Syrian participation in Arab League meetings. The group supports the "territorial integrity of Syria," and the "withdrawal of all foreign forces" from the country.

Arab League spokesperson Jamal Rushdy said Sunday's decision does "not signal an end to the conflict in Syria, but the beginning of an end." He added that the Syria crisis "is not just a domestic conflict, but a regional and international conflict," noting that the Arab League "would like to be involved in the resolution to the conflict," because of its repercussions on many Arab countries.