Syrian FM makes first visit to Saudi Arabia since 2011

Syrian foreign minister Faisal Mekdad arrived for a visit to Saudi Arabia, as ties between Damascus and Riyadh grew. Mekdad arrived in Jeddah on Wednesday having been invited by the Saudi foreign minister, Prince Faisal bin Farhan, both Saudi and Syrian state media reported. The two will “hold a session of talks on efforts to reach a political solution to the Syrian crisis that preserves the unity, security, and stability of Syria”, the Saudi foreign ministry said in a statement.