Does the Sudani-Sharaa call signal a thaw in Baghdad-Damascus ties?

SULAIMANI, Kurdistan Region - Iraqi Prime Minister Mohammed Shia’ al-Sudani and Syria’s interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa held a phone call on Tuesday to discuss the new government in Damascus, the political process in Syria, and the enhancement of bilateral ties between the two nations. The conversation comes as Baghdad is bracing itself to hold a key summit next month amid unconfirmed reports of Sharaa's attendance.

A statement from Sudani’s office cited the Iraqi premier as “extending his congratulations and best wishes to the Syrian people on the formation of the new government,” reaffirming Iraq’s “steadfast position in support of the choices of the brotherly Syrian people.”

Sharaa on Saturday appointed a 23-member cabinet which included four members from minority groups. However, the appointments have raised concerns as ethnic and religious groups say they were not consulted during the appointment process. Additionally, the cabinet includes individuals who have been blacklisted by the United Nations and the United States due to ties to extremist armed groups.

Sudani on Tuesday “stressed the importance of ensuring that the political process [in Syria] includes all national components of Syrian society, and that it moves toward peaceful coexistence and social stability to ensure a secure and stable future for Syria and the region as a whole.”

For its part, the Syrian presidency reported on Tuesday that Sharaa and Sudani discussed “bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to enhance them in various fields,” adding that the two officials “stressed the importance of turning a new page in bilateral relations based on joint cooperation to confront regional challenges and prevent tension in the region.”

The Syrian presidency further quoted Sudani as wishing Sharaa and the Syrian people “continued security, stability, and progress.” In response, Syria’s interim president emphasized “his respect for Iraq’s sovereignty and his keenness not to interfere in its internal affairs.”

The conversation between Sudani and Sharaa comes as Baghdad is bracing itself to host the 34th Arab League Summit on May 17, marking a significant moment in Iraq’s broader efforts to enhance its regional and international standing.

The Arab League Summit is a major event that brings together the heads of state and high-ranking officials from the 22 member countries. It serves as a platform for discussing critical issues facing the Arab world, including economic, political, and security challenges.

However, in recent weeks, reports that Sharaa might not attend the key summit were being circulated.

Following a swift offensive, a coalition of opposition groups led by Hay’at Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) - headed by Sharaa - in early December toppled the regime of Syrian dictator Bashar al-Assad. In late January, Sharaa was appointed as Syria’s interim president.

While Sharaa was congratulated by the majority of Arab countries on his appointment in late January, Iraq notably withheld its support, signaling caution in its approach to the new leadership in Damascus. Of note, Baghdad was a close ally of Assad. 

However, in mid-March, Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani made his first visit to Baghdad after weeks of delay for unknown reasons.

Shaibani then held a joint presser with his Iraqi counterpart Fuad Hussein in Baghdad, underscoring that his first trip to Iraq is not a diplomatic one, but rather to reaffirm the “historic ties” between Iraq and Syria that Sharaa is determined to maintain, Shaibani said.

The Syrian foreign minister also expressed readiness “to bolster coordination with Iraq to combat [Islamic State] ISIS terrorists along our borders,” adding that “terrorism has no boundaries, therefore, we should strive to overcome it. Iraqi security is Syrian security [and] vice versa."

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