Syrian Foreign Minister Arrives in Saudi Arabia for the First Time Since 2011

Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad arrived in Saudi Arabia on Wednesday as Riyadh and Damascus are working toward normalization.

Mekdad’s trip marks the first time a Syrian foreign minister visited Saudi Arabia since 2011, when Riyadh cut ties with Damascus and threw support behind the failed regime change effort against Syrian President Bashar al-Assad.

The Saudi Foreign Ministry said Mekdad and Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan will “hold a session of talks on efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis that preserves the unity, security and stability of Syria.”