Saudi State Minister for Foreign Affairs Adel al-Jubeir announced Monday that it was too soon to restore Syria’s membership in the Arab League.
Speaking from Riyadh after receiving Russian Foreign Minister Sergei Lavrov, he said: “Saudi Arabia always underlines Syria’s territorial unity and the importance of a political solution to its crisis.”
He added that Riyadh’s position on reopening its embassy in Damascus “has not changed.”
“This (reopening the embassy) is related to progress on the political process, so it is still early,” Jubeir told a joint press conference with Lavrov.
Syria’s membership in the Arab League was suspended eight years ago with the eruption of the country’s conflict.
Reinstating Damascus to the organization hinges on progress in the political process, said Jubeir.
For his part, Lavrov said that Russia was helping Syrian parties form a constitutional committee.
“This is the main goal at this current phase,” he explained. “The Syrian people will determine the shape of their political system.”
