JEDDAH: Jordan has appointed a chargé d’affaires to Syria in an upgrade of diplomatic ties.
An unamed Jordanian diplomat with the ranking of advisor will begin work again at the Jordanian embassy in Damascus, a foreign ministry spokesman said. “The decision is inline with the Jordanian stance since the Syrian revolution erupted in 2011,” he said.
The decision is the latest move from Arab countries to improve relations with Bashar Al-Assad’s government, which was ostracized by many countries in the region when the Syrian war started in 2011.
Last month, the UAE reaopened its embassy in Damascus after seven years and there has been speculation that Syria will be allowed back into the Arab league after it was kicked out in 2011. Bahrain also plans to reopen its embassy in the Syrian capital.
Sudan president, Omar Al-Bashir, became the first Arab leader to visit Damascus when he traveled there in December.
Jordan recalled its ambassador in 2011 but diplomatic ties were never fully severed, despite Amman’s support for some rebel groups fighting Assad’s forces.
In recent months there have been signs of an improvement in relations. In October, Jordan reopened a border crossing with Syria that had been closed for three years. The route once carried billions of dollars of trade each year.
In November, a delegation of Jordanian MPs traveled to Damascus and met Assad in a visit to discuss ways to improve relations.
