Syria, Assad: trip to the Emirates "turning point in bilateral relations"

ABU DHABI - Syrian President Bashar Assad has described his official visit to the UAE as a turning point in bilateral relations between the two countries. The trip is the second leg of the Syrian leader's trip to the Arab states of the Persian Gulf since last month's earthquake, while several Arab countries are resuming contacts with Damascus after a period of freezing weather. The visit to the emirates comes after a visit to Oman last month, his first official engagements in Arab countries since the start of Syria's war on terror in 2011.