Syrian envoy says Syria must return to Arab League

BEIRUT, March 15 (Xinhua) -- Syrian Ambassador to Lebanon Ali Abdel Karim Ali said Friday that the Arab League (AL) should reconsider "its wrong decision to suspend Syria's membership from the organization," local media reported.

"The AL needs Syria because it cannot function well without it. The organization has violated its charter by suspending Syria's membership in the organization," Ali was quoted as saying by Elnashra, an online independent newspaper.

Ali added that the AL made this decision under pressure by the United States and Europe.

"It has become clear that many Arab countries noticed that they have an interest to resume their diplomatic ties with Syria and to return the country to the AL," he said.

The AL suspended Syria's membership in November 2011 in response to the Syrian government's crackdown on protests.

Many Gulf countries have expressed in the past few months their willingness to re-open their embassies in Syria.

However, AL Secretary General Ahmed Aboul-Gheit said over a month ago that there is no consensus yet among Arab countries on Syria's return to the Arab bloc.