The Lebanese daily Al-Akhbar reported that during a meeting with emissaries from the Saudi king, Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad set the return of the Saudi ambassador to Damascus and improvement in relations between the two countries as a condition for Saudi-Syrian cooperation.
According to the paper, Assad stated that it was inconceivable that the U.S. would return its ambassador to Damascus but that Saudi Arabia would not.
The Syrian daily Al-Watan reported, citing official Syrian sources, that Saudi Arabia would in the near future appoint an ambassador to Damascus, but no official announcement has been made.
Sources: Al-Akhbar, Lebanon, July 3, 2009; Al-Watan, Syria, July 2, 2009
