The UAE Foreign Minister has visited Bashar al-Assad in Syria’s capital Damascus.

Assad has tried to break his international isolation, over repression and war crimes in Syria’s 128-month conflict, through improved relations with countries in the region. Jordan has reopened a main border crossing, with King Abdullah lobbying Washington, and Egypt has also made moves for interaction. Last week Assad also spoke by phone with Chinese leader Xi Jinping.

Foreign Minister Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed is highest-ranking Emirati official to meet Assad since the Syrian uprising began in March 2011.

Assad’s office issued a template statement about discussion of “new horizons for…cooperation, especially in vital sectors in order to strengthen investment partnerships”. UAE’s State news agency said the Foreign Minister expressed “keenness on the security, stability and unity of Syria” and “support for all efforts made to end the Syrian crisis, consolidate stability in the country, and meet the aspirations of the brotherly Syrian people”.

In 2018 the UAE was the first Arab state to reopen an embassy in Damascus. Earlier this year it called for Syria’s readmission to the Arab League.

The Biden Administration expressed concern over Tuesday’s meeting, with State Department spokesperson Ned Price urging regional states to consider Assad’s “atrocities”.

We are concerned by reports of this meeting and the signal it sends….This administration will not express any support for efforts to normalize or to rehabilitate Bashar al-Assad who is a brutal dictator.

Leading analyst Thomas Pierret evaluates the situation: