DUBAI, Mar 19 (Reuters): Syrian President Bashar al-Assad travelled to the United Arab Emirates on Friday, his first visit to an Arab state since the Syrian war began in 2011, underlining warming ties with a US-allied country that once backed rebels who sought his ouster.
Assad met Abu Dhabi Crown Prince Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed al-Nahyan who "stressed that Syria is a fundamental pillar of Arab security, and that the UAE is keen to strengthen cooperation with it", Emirati state news agency (WAM) reported.
A video posted by WAM showed Assad smiling as he stood alongside Sheikh Mohammed in front of the Syrian and Emirati flags, as well as gesticulating and smiling during talks.
The visit drew a sharp rebuke from Washington, with the State Department saying it was "profoundly disappointed and troubled" by what it called an apparent attempt to legitimise Assad.
Assad's only trips outside Syria during the war have been to Iran and Russia, close allies whose military support helped him turn the tide against opponents who had been backed by governments including US-allied Gulf states.
He also met on Friday with Dubai ruler Sheikh Mohammed bin Rashid al-Maktoum, the Syrian presidency said in a statement.
The timing of the trip coincided with the eleventh anniversary of the Syrian uprising, which began in March 2011, and at a time when Washington has been working worldwide to unite allies and partners against Russia's invasion of Ukraine.
State Department spokesperson Ned Price reiterated that Washington remains opposed to efforts to normalise ties or rehabilitate Assad. He said the United States will not waive or lift sanctions on Syria unless progress is made toward a political solution to the conflict, which has killed hundreds of thousands of people since spiralling out of an uprising against Assad.
"We urge states considering engagement with the Assad regime to weigh carefully the horrific atrocities visited by the regime on the Syrians over the last decade, as well as the regime's continuing efforts to deny much of the country access to humanitarian aid and security," Price said in an email.
