Starting his four-day Gulf tour yesterday, Russian Foreign Minister Sergey Lavrov was welcomed by his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed in Abu Dhabi on Tuesday. The two officials spoke at a joint news conference after a meeting closed to the press.
During the joint press conference, UAE Foreign Minister Abdullah bin Zayed stated that the sanctions that the US implemented under the Caesar Act complicate the process of Syria’s return to the Arab community. The re-accession of Syria to the Arab League would serve for the interests of Syria as well as other states in the region, the Emirate Foreign Minister added.
Additionally, Abdullah bin Zayed stated his country’s willingness to improve relations with Russia in various fields. Also, he highlighted that Russia is a “reliable friend and partner.” Elsewhere, Russian Foreign Minister Lavrov affirmed that his country has been in communication with the UAE regarding developments in the Gulf and the region’s stability.
The Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act, abbreviated as the Caesar Act, is a legislation that foresees sanctions for individuals and organizations who give support to the Assad regime or have monetary transactions with them. The Act passed through US Congress in 2019 and was brought into effect in June 2020. At that time, the Act caused speculations that the UAE would be affected by it, since the former had engaged in economic and military relations with the Assad regime.
