Saudi FM's visit to Damascus marks new chapter in Gulf-Syria ties

In a gesture of friendship and solidarity, Burj Khalifa in Dubai was lit up in the colors of the Syrian flag on Monday to mark Syria's 77th Independence Day.

This comes amid a continuing rapprochement between Syria and Gulf states, with the recent visit of Saudi Arabia's foreign minister, Faisal bin Farhan, to Damascus as the latest development.

Bin Farhan's visit to Syria was his first in twelve years. During the visit, he met with President Bashar Al-Assad to discuss the importance of Arab states' role in stabilizing the situation in Syria and liberating its territories.

According to a statement by the Syrian presidency, they also discussed efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis that preserves its unity and stability and contributes to its return to the Arab fold.

Bin Farhan emphasized the importance of creating the necessary conditions for Syrian refugees to return to their homes safely and enabling them to do so.

The discussions between bin Farhan and President Assad are a crucial step towards Syria's return to the Arab League.

The timing of this meeting comes just days after a meeting in Jeddah, Saudi Arabia, between Gulf states, Egypt, Jordan, and Iraq, to consult on finding a political solution to the Syrian crisis.

Thus, while the path toward restoring relations between Arab states and Syria is ongoing, it will not happen in a short time.

However, it is worth noting that the Syrian and Saudi statements did not indicate any invitation to President Assad to attend the Arab summit.

Nonetheless, the gradual thawing of relations between Syria and the Arab world is a positive sign for the country's future.