Syria has officially recognized the independence of Kosovo, officials from both countries announced today.
Syria has officially recognized the independence of Kosovo, officials from both countries announced today.
Kosovo’s President Vjosa Osmani stated on Facebook that the agreement on Syria’s recognition of Kosovo was reached in Riyadh with the support of Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman Al Saud.
Osmani thanked Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharia for his decision to recognize Kosovo and for his support of the Kosovar people, Radio Free Europe (RFE) reported.
The president of Kosovo traveled to Riyadh, Saudi Arabia, at the invitation of Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman to attend the Future Investment Initiative Forum.
“The people of Kosovo and Syria have suffered and sacrificed greatly in their pursuit of freedom. That is why today’s mutual recognition is not only an acknowledgment of state sovereignty, but also of the sacrifices made by generations striving to live freely,”
Osmani wrote.
Syria’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that the decision to recognize Kosovo “stems from Syria’s belief in the right of peoples to self-determination and from its commitment to promoting the principles of peace and stability in the Balkans and across the world.”
“This decision is part of Syria’s policy aimed at expanding bridges of cooperation and openness toward friendly nations, in ways that serve common interests and strengthen the bonds of friendship between peoples,” the ministry said in a statement posted on X.
Damascus added that it “looks forward to establishing diplomatic relations with Kosovo as soon as possible and developing bilateral cooperation in the political, economic, and cultural spheres, to serve the common interests of the two countries and their friendly peoples.”
For more than a decade, Syria has been among the most isolated nations in the world, ravaged by civil war, economic collapse, and international sanctions.
Since January this year, the country has been led by al-Sharia, the former opposition commander who overthrew President Bashar al-Assad, ending the family’s five-decade-long rule.
Syria’s decision marks the third recognition of Kosovo’s independence this year, following Sudan and Kenya.
With this move, Syria becomes the 120th country to recognize Kosovo—an act expected to anger Serbia, which has long opposed its independence.
Serbia reacted sharply to the latest recognitions, maintaining that Kosovo remains part of its territory, 17 years after the province declared independence. | BGNES