Syria is seeking Chinese support for the economic revival and reconstruction of the country, devastated by more than a decade of war and continuing US and Turkish occupation  

A couple of delegations of US Congress persons and the US ambassador to Turkey paid illegal visits to areas held by anti-Assad forces on Sunday. Meanwhile, Israel conducted airstrikes inside Syria in recent days

Nearly half of Syria’s pre-war population of a little over 20 million was displaced due to the war which began in 2011. Almost six million of those displaced have become refugees, mostly in neighboring countries

Syria has long maintained that all aid to the country should flow through the government as the current mechanism violates its sovereignty and prolongs the war 

Former colonial power France had supported the anti-Assad forces in Syria with the objective of regime change, which prolonged the war in the country. France also became part of the US-led illegal unilateral sanctions regime against Syria 

Trying to develop an effective and autonomous regional approach to deal with common issues, an increasing number of Arab countries have defied pressures exerted by the US and the EU against normalization of relations with Syria 

Syria was suspended from the Arab League in 2012 after war broke out in the country. Several members of the League supported anti-government forces which included Islamist militias

Both the countries signed numerous agreements to boost their economic cooperation and called it a joint effort to face the impact of unilateral sanctions imposed by the US and its allies on their economies

Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan became the first high official from his country to visit Damascus since the war in Syria broke out in 2011. Farhan met with Syrian President Bashar al-Assad and discussed the process of Syria’s reintegration into regional politics

Reports indicate that Saudi Arabia may invite Syria to participate at the upcoming Arab League summit in Riyadh next month. Syria was suspended from the 22-member League in 2011

The specter that is haunting Washington is that the stabilization of Syria following Assad’s normalization with the Arab countries and with Turkey will inexorably coalesce into a Syrian settlement that completely marginalizes the “collective West” 

Israeli attacks on Syria continue even as Syria struggles with the aftermath of the February 6 earthquake, in which over 5,800 were killed.