US Aims to Discuss ‘Arab Normalization’ with Damascus at Rome Meeting
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London - Ibrahim Hamidi
In a surprise move, the United States has expanded the list of countries attending the ministerial level meetings on Syria to be held in Rome on Monday, to include the Arab League. The move aims to discuss normalization of ties between Arab states and Damascus. The Rome meeting will be attended by 15 foreign ministers of the G7, members of the small group on Syria in addition to Turkey, Qatar and the European Union. The meeting aims to pressure Russia to approve a UN resolution that authorizes the delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria across the borders. It will be held on the sidelines of a meeting of the Global Coalition to Defeat ISIS that will be co-chaired by US Secretary of State Antony Blinken and his Italian counterpart Luigi Di Maio. The final communique, which was received by Asharq Al-Awsat, showed that countries taking part in the Rome meeting stressed the importance of guaranteeing aid to save lives and fight the coronavirus pandemic in Syria through all possible means, including expanding the UN mechanism to provide assistance through the borders. The communique also stressed the importance of continuing to help Syrian refugees and host countries so that the displaced could voluntarily return home, while welcoming UN envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen’s efforts to implement all aspects of Resolution 2254. But countries participating in the meeting were informed this week that both Ireland and the Arab League would also take part. Ireland was invited alongside Norway because they are both in charge of humanitarian affairs in New York. As for the Arab League, the US wants to discuss in its presence the efforts of some Arab countries to normalize relations with Damascus and restore its membership in the organization. Asharq Al-Awsat has learned that Washington and Paris have informed Arab and European states on the importance of not making any normalization move before finding out Russia’s next step on the UN draft resolution on the delivery of humanitarian aid to Syria across the borders before the end of its made on July 10. Russia holds the key to the adoption of the resolution and will likely block it. Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov has even sent a letter to UN chief Antonio Guterres accusing Western states of “blackmailing” Moscow, which insists aid deliveries are possible across conflict lines within Syria rather than across the borders. On a different occasion, Lavrov has called for a “comprehensive deal” that includes among others solutions to the Caesar Act – the US legislation that sanctions the Syrian government – reconstruction in Syria, the American presence east of the Euphrates and providing the necessary infrastructure to guarantee the return of refugees and assistance through the government in Damascus.
from Asharq AL-awsat https://english.aawsat.com/home/article/3049501/us-aims-discuss-%E2%80%98arab-normalization%E2%80%99-damascus-rome-meeting
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