Syria is back in the influential Arab League, more than a decade after being thrown out for “repression of pro-democracy protests,” the BBC reports.
The move is further evidence of a thaw in relations between Damascus and other Arab governments.
Syria’s readmittance comes ahead of a summit in Saudi Arabia later this month that President Bashar al-Assad may now attend.
In a statement, Syria’s foreign ministry said it had received the League’s decision “with great attention” and called for “greater Arab cooperation and partnership”.
Foreign ministers from 13 of the 22-nation group’s members were present at the meting in Cairo where the decision to readmit Syria was taken.
They stressed the need to end Syria’s civil war and the resulting refugee and drug smuggling crises.
