Syria’s Assad, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Discuss Bilateral Relations, in Further Regional Thaw

In a further thawing of relations between Syria’s Bashar Assad and Arab leaders in the region, Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al-Nahyan held a discussion by phone with the Syrian president in which they talked about “the relations between the two fraternal nations and prospects of advancing cooperation across various fields,” according to the Emirates News Agency (WAM). “They also discussed the ongoing developments in Syria and the Middle East in addition to issues of regional and international interest,” the report also said. Assad reportedly placed the call, according to The New Arab. Most Arab countries reduced diplomatic relations with Syria after the start of the country’s civil war in 2011.  Jordan began to normalize its relations with Syria late last month, including fully reopening its main border crossing with Syria. Assad and Jordan’s King Abdullah II on October 3 had their first conversation in the decade since the start of the civil war in Syria.