The United Arab Emirates reopens an embassy in Damascus.
On December 27, the United Arab Emirates reopened its embassy in Damascus. The UAE broke off relations with Syria in February 2012 amid hostilities in the country. Nearly seven years later, the flag of the United Arab Emirates was raised again during a ceremony attended by diplomats and journalists.
The interim head of the diplomatic mission has already begun to work, the official statement said. It also emphasizes that the UAE "seeks to return relations to normal." The restoration of ties aims to "support the sovereignty and independence of Syria."
The visit of Sudanese President Omar al-Bashir to Damascus earlier this month was interpreted by a number of experts as a signal to end the diplomatic isolation of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.
Recall that Syria's membership in the League of Arab States was suspended in November 2011 due to military conflict. Now the situation has changed: government forces and allies have established full control over Damascus and several key points in the country.
