Saudi Foreign Minister Prince Faisal bin Farhan landed in Syria on Tuesday, the first such visit since the start of the civil war in 2011. The trip represents a continuing and significant shift in the kingdom’s policy toward Syria.
Farhan was received by Syrian President Bashar al-Assad. The two discussed efforts towards finding a "political solution" to the Syria conflict that would "preserve Syria's unity, security, stability, Arab identity, and territorial integrity." They also talked about the "return of Syria to its Arab fold and the resumption of its natural role in the Arab world," according to a statement from the Saudi Ministry of Foreign Affairs.