Syrian President Bashar al-Assad arrived today on an official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) together with his wife Asma Assad, Reuters reported, referring to the Syrian presidency.

The agency notes that the visit is taking place at a time when more and more Arab countries are showing their readiness to loosen the isolation in which Damascus is placed.

The visit began with more ceremony than Assad's previous trip to the UAE last year.

The then-Syrian president's visit was his first to an Arab country since the outbreak of the Syrian civil war in 2011, when Gulf countries, including the UAE, supported rebels fighting to oust Assad.

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State media reported that upon his arrival in Abu Dhabi, the president was greeted by his counterpart, Sheikh Mohammed bin Zayed Al Nahyan, and his motorcade was greeted with a gun salute upon entering the royal palace complex.

In addition, the plane of the Syrian president was met by fighter jets of the emirates, adds BTA.

Bashar al-Assad