Moscow, May 8 (Agency) Russia welcomes the resumption of Syria’s participation in the work of the League of Arab States (LAS), this will improve the state of affairs in the region, Russian Foreign Ministry spokeswoman Maria Zakharova said. On Sunday, LAS foreign ministers announced that Syria was returning to the organization. “Moscow welcomes this long-awaited step, which has become a logical result of the process of returning Syria to the ‘Arab family’ that has gained momentum. For our part, in contact with the Arab capitals, we consistently called on them to restore full-fledged relations with Damascus,” Zakharova said in a statement on Sunday.
She added that the resumption of Syria’s participation in the work of the Arab League, of which it is one of the founding states, will help improve the atmosphere in the Middle East region. Zakharova expressed hope that LAS will support Syria in its post-conflict reconstruction, which is complicated by the illegitimate unilateral sanctions against Damascus. The 22-nation Arab League suspended Syria’s membership in 2011 after a war broke out in the country. Several member states then recalled their ambassadors from Syria in protest against Syrian President Bashar Assad’s policies, accusing his government of cracking down on demonstrators in the country. Years later, some of the nations have begun taking steps to reengage with Damascus and reopen embassies.