ALGIERS: Syria’s chief diplomat has started a visit to Algeria and Tunisia as part of efforts to revive diplomatic relationships in the Arab world, more than a decade after his country was globally isolated amid President Bashar Assad’s crackdown on mass protests against his rule.

Foreign Minister Faisal Mikdad was welcomed on Saturday in the lounge of Algiers airport by his Algerian counterpart Ahmed Attaf.

In remarks broadcast by Algerian public television. Mikdad insisted that “relations between the two brotherly countries exist and will continue to exist … beyond the vicissitudes of the situation.”

He added: “My visit will be an opportunity for discussions between the two countries on the latest developments in the region. We need to strengthen this bilateral relationship.”

Algeria is one of the few Arab countries that did not cut off relations with Syria during the civil war that followed the 2011 uprising.

Mikdad notably praised Algeria’s help after the devastating Feb. 6 earthquake that killed tens of thousands in Syria and Turkiye.

He was also bearing a message from Assad to his Algerian counterpart, Abdelmadjid Tebboune, the Algerian official APS news agency reported.

Assad consolidated control over most of the country in recent years and Syria’s neighbors have begun to take steps toward rapprochement.

Mikdad also made a recent trip to Egypt in a step toward normalizing ties.

He is scheduled to head to Tunisia on Monday, where he is to reopen Syria’s embassy.

Tunisian President Kais Saied announced earlier this month that he had directed the country’s Foreign Ministry to appoint a new ambassador to Syria. 

His move was reciprocated by the Syrian government, according to the SANA news agency.

AP