Syria to warm up relations with two neighboring Arab states

Tabnak – As an increasing number of Arab states are deciding to restore ties with Damascus, the prospects for Syria to fully come back to the Arab world’s diplomatic scene is becoming more and more real. Meanwhile, the Syrian government has reached new agreements with its neighbor, Iraq, to coordinate anti-terrorist efforts.

In the latest sing of an intra-Arab agreement to initiate a rapprochement with Damascus, Jordanian legislators have reportedly called on the Amman government to restore full diplomatic relations with neighboring Syria.

During a parliamentary session on Sunday to study the government's 2019 budget, the lawmakers asked for the improvement of Jordan-Syria ties to the level prior to the outbreak of foreign-sponsored Syrian conflict, stressing that the relations are beneficial to both nations, Arabic-language Rai al-Youm newspaper reported.

Parliamentarian Khalil Attia called for the turn of the Jordanian ambassador to Damascus and promotion of relations with Syria. Lawmakers Khalid al-Fanatseh and Faisal al-Awar also highlighted that stronger Amman-Damascus ties will serve the interests of both countries.

Jordanian King Abdullah II recently hoped for the improvement of security situation in Syria and Iraq. “God willing, our relations with Syria will return to the level as it was before. The situation is significantly improving in Iraq as well. We are always in contact with them to open markets for our products,” he told a group of Jordanian journalists.

In another related development, Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has reportedly allowed Iraqi fighter jets to conduct airstrikes against the positions of the Daesh terrorist group in the war-ravaged country without waiting to be granted formal authorization for the assaults.

A high-ranking Iraqi official, speaking on condition of anonymity, told Russia's RT Arabic television news network that Iraqi warplanes will be able to enter the Syrian airspace and bombard Daesh sites under Assad’s directives.

The Iraqi official, however, highlighted that the Syrian president has demanded the Baghdad government to inform Syrian authorities before launching any aerial raid.

On December 12, the media bureau of Iraq's Joint Operations Command (JOC) said in a statement that Iraqi military aircraft had carried out two separate airstrikes against members of the Daesh terrorist group in Syria’s eastern province of Deir ez-Zor.

Iraqi authorities have on occasions stated that they work closely with the Syrian government to monitor and target terrorist targets based on the efforts of intelligence and information departments of the security coordination committee formed between Baghdad, Damascus, Tehran and Moscow years ago, as well as coordination with the so-called US-led anti-Daesh coalition.

Syria has been gripped by foreign-backed militancy since March 2011. The Syrian government says the Israeli regime and its Western and regional allies are aiding Takfiri terrorist groups wreaking havoc in the country.