RIYADH: Syrian President Bashar Assad will visit Saudi Arabia on Wednesday for talks with Custodian of the Two Holy Mosques King Abdullah, who paid a landmark visit to Damascus last October, Saudi Arabia’s official news agency Saudi Press Agency (SPA) said.
Unnamed officials told the daily Al-Sharq Al-Awsat that Saudi Arabia’s ambassador to Damascus would return home on Tuesday to prepare for Bashar’s meeting with King Abdullah. The visit follows Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Saud Al-Faisal’s visit to Damascus last week.
The visit on Wednesday comes amid efforts by Riyadh to build Arab unity around the Palestinians ahead of a possible resumption of peace talks with Israel.
Bashar’s visit could pave the way for a trilateral summit between King Abdullah, Bashar and Egyptian President Hosni Mubarak in Cairo, Al-Sharq Al-Awsat said, citing diplomatic sources.
