WNAM MONITORING: The secretary-general of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) affirmed on Saturday full support for efforts aimed at achieving Syria’s unity, sovereignty, and security.
In a phone call, Jasem Albudaiwi and UN Special Envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen reviewed regional and international efforts “aimed at the unity, sovereignty, and security of Syria, in addition to discussing the latest developments in the region and ways to enhance joint cooperation between the two sides,” according to a statement published on the alliance’s website.
Albudaiwi stressed that the GCC countries support “all efforts that achieve stability, prosperity, and security for the brotherly Syrian people, noting the importance of the international community’s solidarity in supporting efforts to achieve a comprehensive solution to the Syrian crisis that respects Syria’s unity and sovereignty, contributing to building a better future for Syria and its people.”
Bashar al-Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party regime, which had been in power since 1963.
The takeover came after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters captured key cities in a lightning offensive that lasted less than two weeks.
