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Significance
Egypt is the latest Arab state to reach out to Damascus. Spearheaded by Abu Dhabi, these contacts are eroding the isolation policy that has lasted for over a decade since civil war broke out in 2011. However, most of these countries were already edging towards a policy of ‘normalisation’.
Impacts
Qatar’s fixed hostility and Saudi caution will hinder Emirati efforts to secure Syria’s return to the Arab League.
Washington will likely resist Russian-backed Syrian efforts to trade cross-border aid access for sanctions relaxation.
The disaster will do nothing to quell violence among Syria’s various factions.
The quake’s political impact on Turkey’s president will be key to Ankara-Damascus normalisation prospects.
Keywords:
Syria,
ME/NAF,
Egypt,
Europe,
Iran,
Jordan,
Oman,
Qatar,
Saudi Arabia,
Turkey,
United Arab Emirates,
United States,
international relations,
politics,
aid,
civil war,
foreign policy,
human rights,
sanctions,
natural disasters
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2023
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