The
decision said Syria could resume its participation in Arab League meetings
immediately, while calling for a resolution of the crisis resulting from
Syria's civil war, including the flight of refugees to neighbouring countries
and drug smuggling across the region.
While Arab states including the United Arab Emirates have
pressed to end Assad's isolation, some have been opposed to full normalization
without a political solution to the Syrian conflict, seeking conditions for
Syria's return.
Qatar, which had previously opposed Syria's return to the
League, said its position on normalization had not changed and it hoped regional
consensus on Syria could be a motive for the Syrian regime to address the roots
of the crisis, a foreign ministry spokesperson told state news agency QNA.
"The
reinstatement of Syria does not mean normalization of relations between Arab
countries and Syria," Arab League Secretary-General Ahmed Aboul Gheit told
reporters in Cairo. "This is a sovereign decision for each country to make."
Syria called on Arab states to show mutual respect.
A US State Department spokesperson said Washington shared
the goals of Arab partners in Syria, including building security and stability,
but remained skeptical of Assad's willingness to take the steps necessary to
resolve Syria's crisis".
"We do not believe Syria merits readmission into the
Arab League at this time," the spokesperson said, adding that US sanctions
would remain in full effect.
But Russia, an Assad ally, hailed Syria's readmission.
"Moscow welcomes this long-awaited step, the logical
result of the process, which has gained momentum, of returning Syria to the
'Arab family,'" Maria Zakharova, spokesperson for Russia's Foreign
Ministry, said in a statement.
