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Congress, former US officials blame Biden admin. for Syria normalization efforts


US lawmakers, former officials and Washington-based analysts have criticized and blamed the Biden administration for the Arab League’s move to readmit Syria and normalize ties with the Assad regime.

This week, the top four lawmakers on the Senate and House foreign affairs committees urged the Biden administration to make clear its opposition to normalization efforts and enforce US sanctions on those who support the Bashar al-Assad.

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Barring Kuwait and Qatar, the Arab League voted to unfreeze Syria’s membership last weekend after over a decade of severing ties with Damascus over the Assad regime’s brutal crackdown on protesters.

Washington and Europe have stipulated that re-establishing ties with the Assad regime would be contingent upon progress on a political solution to the yearslong war.

But several Arab and Gulf countries, including traditional US allies, have normalized relations with Damascus.

“We condemn the Arab League foreign ministers’ decision to readmit Syria, the latest in a troubling trend of US partners in the Middle East and North Africa normalizing relations with the Assad regime,” read a letter from Senators Bob Menendez and Jim Risch, the chairman and ranking member of the Senate Foreign Relations Committee.

The senators cited the last 12 years of atrocities committed by the Assad regime as evidence that it is a “global pariah.”

“Improving ties with the regime will send the wrong message to its Iranian and Russian enablers as Putin repeats in Ukraine the atrocities he committed in Syria,” they said.

Arab states issued a communique that said Damascus committed to curbing drug trafficking from Syria, making progress on a political situation to the war, and facilitating the return of some refugees.

“Arguments that normalization with Assad will somehow eject Iran and Russia from Syria are not compelling, as they are the primary guarantors of Assad’s survival,” Menendez and Risch said.

As for the Biden administration, the senators said it should make clear its opposition to normalization ahead of the Arab League Summit on May 19. They pointed to Caesar Act sanctions, which are US law, and require consequences for those who undermine accountability for the Assad regime or support it.

On Monday, Chairman of the House Foreign Affairs Committee Michael McCaul and Ranking Member Gregory Meeks issued a similar statement, calling the Arab League’s move a “grave strategic mistake.”

“Assad has not changed – he will continue these atrocities while setting a global precedent that ruthless dictators can wait out accountability for their crimes. The United States must fully enforce the Caesar Act and other sanctions to freeze normalization efforts with this war criminal,” the congressmen said.

Critics have said the apparent easing of the enforcement of sanctions and less strict approach by the Biden administration was to blame for the change in the attitude of Arab and Gulf partners.

Earlier this year was the first time since taking office that the administration utilized the Caesar Act authority to issue new Syria-related sanctions.

And following the devastating earthquakes in Syria and Turkey, sanctions waivers were issued to allow for humanitarian aid to get into regime-held territories, although a majority of the damage occurred outside of these areas.

Joel Rayburn, the former deputy assistant secretary for Levant Affairs and special envoy for Syria, said the “crazily overbroad” waivers punched a hole in the Caesar Act. “The Arab capitals’ firm conclusion is that the [Biden] administration has no problem with their normalization policy,” Rayburn told Al Arabiya English.

For her part, Randa Slim, a program director at the Washington-based Middle East Institute, said Syria was never a priority for the current administration. “Their approach is a risk-free strategy that looks at what they can get now, small wins, without an expansion of time and resources.”

This policy, Slim said, goes back to the Obama era when the former president told traditional US allies that they needed to share the neighborhood with Iran. Slim added that the administration was using a “small investment, issue-based approach without a clear overall strategy for the region.”

Read more: US floats sanctions warning as Arab isolation of Syria nears end

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Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi meets with CEOs of leading Norwegian companies

H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, Crown Prince of Abu Dhabi, has met with a group of CEOs from leading Norwegian companies, as part of their participation in the UAE-Norway Investment Forum, held alongside his official visit to the Kingdom of Norway.

During the meeting, H.H. Sheikh Khaled bin Mohamed bin Zayed underscored the UAE leadership’s commitment to strengthening economic cooperation with its international partners.

He highlighted that investment in innovation and knowledge is a cornerstone for achieving sustainable development, noting that enhancing collaboration with Norwegian companies across key sectors will open new avenues for mutual economic growth between the two countries.

The UAE-Norway Investment Forum, taking place in Oslo, aimed to highlight available investment opportunities and strengthen trade relations between the UAE and Norway, fostering shared interests and supporting innovation and knowledge-based economic visions.

-wam

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At the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS inaugurates 10th global office, releases four books

As part of its Asian research tour, partnership with Aletihad News Center, and
primary sponsorship of the Indonesia International Book Fair 2024, TRENDS
Research & Advisory inaugurated its office in Jakarta, marking its 10th location
worldwide. It also released four books in Indonesian.
The inauguration event was attended by ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, and
Jordan to Indonesia, chairpersons of the UAE and Indonesian Publishers’
Associations, the Director of TRENDS’ Jakarta office, and a group of researchers
and academics.
Speaking at the event, Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali, CEO of TRENDS
Research & Advisory, stated that TRENDS’ international offices—set to reach 15
by the end of 2024—aim to enhance the Center’s research efforts and deepen its
role in disseminating knowledge, thus serving as a global knowledge bridge.
He emphasized, “At TRENDS, we believe in the importance of cooperation
between think tanks and prioritize this endeavor. We believe the TRENDS office in
Jakarta will enhance the exchange of knowledge and ideas between think tanks in
Asia and the Middle East, opening new horizons for collaboration in various
fields.”

Four books in Indonesian
As part of the Jakarta office’s inaugural activities, four books were released in
Indonesian, including the 11th and 12th books of the Muslim Brotherhood
Encyclopedia and Global Trends in AI and Automation and the Future of
Competition between Man and Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision.

Hostility to Arab states
The 11th book of the Muslim Brotherhood Encyclopedia, The Concept of the State
According to the Muslim Brotherhood, highlights its hostile stance toward Arab
states since its inception. The group views them as an obstacle to its ascent to
power. It opposed the modern principles upon which these states were built,
considering them incompatible with the group’s unique interpretation of Islam,
which it claimed to embody exclusively.

Exclusion of nonconformists
The 12th book, The Muslim Brotherhood: Rejection of Tolerance and Exclusion of
Nonconformists, examines the Muslim Brotherhood’s stance towards
nonconformists, individuals, and entities. The book reveals the group’s binary view
of the world, categorizing others as allies or adversaries. It ties these relationships
to the Brotherhood’s internal power struggles and self-serving interests.

Global Trends in AI
The third book, Global Trends in AI, explores significant developments in AI and
its impact on various aspects of life, including the economy, society, and
governance. It also offers a comprehensive analysis of technological advancements
in AI, its applications across sectors, the ethical and social challenges it presents,
and its future trajectory.

Automation

The fourth book, Automation and the Future of Competition between Man and
Machine: An Analytical Forward-looking Vision, addresses the growing challenges
faced by the human workforce in the face of widespread automation and AI
applications. The book concludes that while automation presents a significant
challenge to the labor market, it simultaneously creates new opportunities. It
emphasizes the importance of preparing for this shift through skills development,
continuous education, and adopting economic and social policies that support the
workforce.

Prominent pavilion and active presence
The TRENDS’ pavilion at the Indonesia International Book Fair has attracted
numerous visitors, including academic researchers and officials, such as the
ambassadors of the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, Jordan, and Turkey. Additionally,
chairpersons of Arab and Indonesian publishers’ associations, authors, publishers,
and students visited the pavilion. All were impressed with and praised TRENDS’ diverse, valuable publications. They also commended TRENDS’ active
international presence and ability to address global developments with rigorous
analytical research.
Dr. Mohammed Abdullah Al-Ali honored the esteemed guests, including
ambassadors of the UAE and Bahrain to Indonesia, Wedha Startesti Yudha,
Chairperson of the Indonesia International Book Fair Committee, Arys Hilman
Nugraha, Chairman of the Indonesian Publishers Association, and others,
presenting them with TRENDS’ publications and commemorative shields.
Additionally, he awarded TRENDS’ Research Medal to Ni Made Ayu Martini
Indonesian Deputy Minister of Marketing, Tourism and Creative Economy
It is worth noting that during its current Asian research tour, TRENDS announced
the launch of the TRENDS Research Medal, awarded to individuals who make
significant contributions to the development of scientific research and promote collaboration with TRENDS in strengthening a culture of research across various fields.

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US determined to prevent full-scale war in Middle East, Joe Biden tells UNGA79

US President Joe Biden highlighted the US Administration’s determination to prevent a wider war that engulfs the entire Middle East region, noting that a diplomatic solution “remains the only path to lasting security to allow the residents from both countries to return to their homes on the border safely”.

In remarks he made today before the 79th Session of the United Nations General Assembly (UNGA79), the US President said, “Full-scale war is not in anyone’s interest,” adding that a diplomatic solution is still possible.

He also touched on “the rise of violence against innocent Palestinians on the West Bank”, and the need to “set the conditions for a better future”, which he said featured “a two-state solution, where the world — where Israel enjoys security and peace and full recognition and normalised relations with all its neighbours, where Palestinians live in security, dignity, and self-determination in a state of their own”.

President Biden underscored the ceasefire and hostage deal put forth by Qatar and Egypt, which the UN Security Council endorsed. He said, “Now is the time for the parties to finalise its terms, bring the hostages home,” adding that this would help ease the suffering in Gaza, and end the war.

-WAM

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