Few foreign diplomats remain in Syria and most embassies have shut their doors, writes Bassel Oudat As a result of the Syrian regime's escalation of the violence used to put down the protests in the country, along with its rejection of Arab or international initiatives to try to end the crisis, most Arab and western states have shut their embassies in the Syrian capital Damascus or reduced their diplomatic representation, often urging any nationals in the country to leave as quickly as possible. As disputes escalated between Syria and several western and Arab states, the embassies and consulates of these countries have been attacked by regime supporters within full view of the Syrian security forces who did nothing to stop them. The embassies of the US, France and Turkey, as well as of Qatar, Saudi Arabia, the UAE, Jordan, Morocco and Bahrain, have been attacked. All these countries have criticised Syria for not doing more to secure the facilities. Over recent months, European and Arab countries have also warned their nationals against travelling to Syria for security reasons, asking them at least to postpone any planned trips. Last November, the Arab League suspended Syria's membership of the regional body, urging League members to withdraw their ambassadors from Damascus and imposing economic and political sanctions against the Syrian regime. Arab states were among the first to withdraw diplomatic representation from the Syrian capital and to shutter their embassies there. Last July, Qatar closed its embassy in Damascus in protest against an attack on the embassy, which is in central Damascus. In August, Saudi Arabia withdrew its ambassador from Damascus, also closing the embassy. Other members of the Gulf Cooperation Council (GCC) then followed suit. Libya has taken the most extreme step by closing its embassy in Damascus and expelling the Syrian ambassador to Tripoli, while also recognising the opposition Syrian National Council (SNC) as the legitimate representative of the Syrian people. More recently, Tunisia also expelled the Syrian ambassador from Tunis and withdrew its ambassador from Damascus along with recognition of the legitimacy of the government of Syrian President Bashar Al-Assad. In February, Egypt's foreign ministry recalled its ambassador to Damascus "until further notice." Such measures isolate the Syrian regime, and they have been mirrored by similar actions taken by non-Arab countries. On 6 February, the US shut its embassy in Damascus and evacuated staff from the country. France followed suit at the end of the month, as did the UK, Canada, Switzerland, Spain, Germany and others. Arab and European states retained diplomatic representation in Syria during the first six months of the uprising in order to monitor events on the ground, remain connected with the opposition movement, and send a message to the regime. With the mounting security threats, however, they have decided to end their diplomatic presence in the country. For the time being, Syria's leaders have dismissed the embassy closures, saying that these decisions had nothing to do with Syria, which refused "to bow to external pressures." At the same time, Damascus has withdrawn its ambassadors from several countries, especially since some other European states are reportedly considering expelling their Syrian ambassadors in order to protest at the crackdown on the uprising against the Al-Assad regime. It is now difficult for Syrians to visit Arab and western embassies, and they have to go to neighbouring countries to access consular, trade, or education services. Although the Syrian opposition inside the country has lost contact with diplomats from outside, it has welcomed the closures, adding that Syria's own ambassadors abroad were former security or intelligence officers and Syria's embassies were in the service of the regime. Observers believe that even if the Syrian regime is able to put down the uprising, which seems unlikely, it will find itself isolated from its Arab neighbours and European partners, making it impossible to resuscitate former political ties. Most states now assert that they will not reopen their embassies in Damascus until the end of the present Syrian regime, upping the stakes in the crisis.
