Riyadh appoints ambassador to Damascus

Mohammed Nafaa
For Al-Shorfa.com
2009-07-13

Saudi King Abdullah welcomes Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad (L) upon his arrival at Riyadh Airport on March 11. (Reuters/Archive)

RIYADH — With the July 7 appointment of a new Saudi ambassador to Damascus, signs are emerging that Saudi Arabia and Syria are moving past a rocky patch in their relations. Riyadh named Abdullah Al-Aifan, former ambassador to South Korea, to fill the post in Syria that was unoccupied for a year.

Saudi-Syrian relations soured in 2005 following the assassination of Lebanese Prime Minister Rafiq Al-Hariri, a popular leader and Saudi ally. A succession of diplomatic rows followed, culminating in the withdrawal of the Saudi ambassador from Damascus in 2008.

Despite Syrian denials of any connection with the assassination, Saudi concerns were further provoked after Damascus consolidated its ties with Saudi Arabia’s arch enemy, Iran. Riyadh’s fears were also exacerbated by Syria’s ongoing support for the Lebanese Shiite group Hezbollah.

Observers say that Al-Aifan’s appointment as ambassador signals that relations with Damascus are thawing. The Saudis also considered Syria’s decision to refrain from interfering in Lebanon’s recent parliamentary elections as a positive indicator. At the same time, Riyadh has been attempting, in collaboration with the U.S., to bring Syria out of its year-long diplomatic isolation in the hope of loosening its strong bond with Tehran.

Matthew Brodsky of the American Foreign Policy Council told

In a related development, Emir Abdelaziz Bin Abdullah, the son of Saudi King Abdullah, visited Damascus in June, where he held a series of constructive meetings with Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad.

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