Many states want Syria back in the Arab League, official says

Assistant Secretary-General of the Arab League Hossam Zaki said yesterday that several Arab states want Syria to be returned to the regional body.

In a statement, Zaki said: “Syria’s attendance was not at all an Algerian condition, but Algeria wishes that Syria would be able to attend the next Arab League meeting in order to regain lost unity among Arab League member states.”

He also said: “The return of Syria to the Arab League is not only an Algerian wish, but it was the wish of several other Arab states.”

Zaki said that the Arab League Chief Ahmad Abul Gheit carried out “long” discussions with Algerian officials as they were preparing to hold the Arab League summit in Algiers.

Following the discussions, Abul Geit and the Algerian officials agreed that Syria should not return to the Arab League at the moment because this issue should be agreed unanimously.

The majority of the Arab League’s member-states voted on 12 November 2011 to suspend Syria’s membership in response to the regime’s crackdown on pro democracy protesters.

Source: Middle East Monitor

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