Arab League Readmits Syria After 12-Year Suspension Amid Rehabilitation Efforts

(Photo : KHALED DESOUKI / AFP) (KHALED DESOUKI/AFP via Getty Images)
The Arab League readmits Syria back into the fold after a 12-year suspension, prompting criticism from the United States government.

Arab League announces decision to readmit Syria back into the fold
The decision comes after Syria was suspended from the organization for 12 years
The United States government has criticized the decision

The Arab League has chosen to readmit Syria into its fold after a 12-year suspension amid authorities' rehabilitation efforts to normalize relations with President Bashar al-Assad.

However, despite the move that others have praised, the United States government criticized the decision to let Syria back into the league. The decision could soon allow Syria to resume its participation in Arab League meetings while calling for a resolution to the current crisis brought about by the country's civil war.

Arab League Readmits Syria

The situation comes as many Arab states, including the United Arab Emirates, have called to end Assad's isolation from the organization. However, others have opposed such a move for full normalization without a political solution to the conflict in Syria, demanding some form of conditions for the nation to be let back into the league, as per Reuters.

Authorities from Qatar, which previously opposed Syria being let back into the league, said that its stance on the matter had stayed the same. They added that they were hoping for regional consensus on Syria that would become a "motive for the Syrian regime to address the roots of the crisis" within its borders, said a foreign ministry spokesperson.

In a statement, Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit said that Syria's reinstatement into the organization does not mean that relations would be normalized between Arab nations and Syria. He noted this was a "sovereign decision" for each Arab country.

A spokesperson for the U.S. State Department said that the American government shared the goals of Arab partners regarding Syria. These include building regional security and stability, but added that it "remained skeptical of Assad's willingness to take the steps necessary to resolve Syria's crisis."

Facing Criticism From Other Global Powers

The decision to bring Syria back into the Arab League comes ahead of the Arab League Summit that will be held in Saudi Arabia on May 19. It also comes amid a flurry of regional normalization of ties with Damascus in recent weeks, according to Aljazeera.

Syria's suspension from the league stems from President al-Assad's ordering the crackdown on protesters in March 2011. That particular incident later resulted in the nation experiencing a civil war that has since resulted in the deaths of nearly half a million people and the displacement of roughly 23 million others.

Jordan's top diplomat said that Arab states have been trying to normalize ties and cooperate with the objective of an "Arab-led political path" in addressing the Syrian crisis. Regarding the Arab League Summit, Gheit said that al-Assad could choose whether or not he attends.

On the other hand, the United Kingdom's Minister of State Foreign Commonwealth & Development Affairs, Lord Ahmad, said they remained opposed to engagement with the Assad regime. He added that the Syrian president continues to "detain, torture, and kill innocent Syrians," said BBC.