DAMASCUS (Pakistan Point News / Sputnik - 05th April, 2022) Syria expects the League of Arab States (LAS) to take proactive steps to restore its membership in the organization, including through helping in reconstruction, troops withdrawal and the return of its resources, Syrian lawmaker Ammar al-Assad told Sputnik on Tuesday.
"Syria's opinion on the Arab League is clear. The League should take steps towards (Syria) and support its reconstruction, help in the withdrawal of Turkish and American invaders from the north and east, return to the country its resources like oil, wheat and gas," al-Assad said.
According to the lawmaker, the Arab League is the one who should make the first move since Syria did not withdraw from the organization voluntarily.
"The Arab League suspended the membership of Syria in order to complement the plot and strike at Libya, splitting the Arab countries," al-Assad said, adding that the LAS spent significant funds on financing terror groups.
In January, Syrian Foreign Minister Faisal Mekdad said that the restoration of Syria's membership in the LAS was not a priority for Damascus, but the Syrian leadership was working on establishing and strengthening relations with Arab countries.
The 22-nation Arab League suspended Syria's membership in 2011 after civil war broke out in the country. Several member states then recalled their ambassadors from Syria. Years later, some of them have begun taking steps to reengage Damascus and reopen embassies.
The war in Syria has been ongoing since 2011, with various insurgent groups, including terrorist organizations, fighting the Syrian military in order to topple the government of President Bashar Assad.
