Assad banks on new ‘global order’ to help his own rehabilitation

Assad banks on new ‘global order’ to help his own rehabilitation

Assad, 57, was warmly welcomed by summit host Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman, 37. In a landmark meeting, the two leaders were seen embracing before posing to be photographed together. During his address, Assad presented himself as an elder statesman, lecturing his neighbors about the need to take advantage of changes in global politics.

In a move seen by observers as a victory for the former pariah, the Syrian president made a comeback at the Arab League meeting nearly 12 years after being shunned by the international community over his brutal suppression of an uprising that sought to unseat him.

“Today we are faced with an opportunity of change in the global order, which has become multipolar due to the hegemony of the West, which is devoid of principles, morals, friends or partners,” Assad told the summit, held in the Saudi port city of Jeddah. “It is a historic opportunity to rearrange our affairs with the least amount of Western interference.”

Talk of multipolarity and a changing world order may have resonated with his Saudi hosts and other regional heavyweights like the United Arab Emirates, both of whom have been reassessing their international relations in ways that haven’t been entirely in line