In Damascus, the French Minister of Foreign Affairs hopes for “a sovereign, stable and peaceful Syria”

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French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot arrived on the morning of Friday January 3 in the Syrian capital, followed by his counterpart GermanAnnalena Baerbock, who stressed that this joint visit took place “ under mandate of the European Union “. The two ministers must meet Ahmad al-Sharaaat the head of a coalition led by his radical Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which ousted President Bashar al-Assad from power on December 8.

“ A little less than a month ago, new hope arose thanks to the mobilization of Syrians », declared Jean-Noël Barrot from the headquarters of the French embassy in Damascus. “ The hope of a Syria sovereign, stable and peaceful “, he added, emphasizing however that “ it’s a real hope, but it’s a fragile hope “.

France ” alongside Syrians »

“ Today, more than ever, France stands alongside Syrians to make this hope a reality. », assured the minister. The embassy was closed in 2012 due to “ bloody repression by the criminal regime of Bashar al-Assad ”, according to him.

“ In the coming weeks, depending on the evolution of security conditions, we will gradually prepare the arrangements for reestablishing the French presence here in Damascus. », Announced the minister. The tricolor flag has flown over the embassy since December 17, 2024, the date on which French emissaries went to the new authorities in Damascus.

There France is scheduled to host an international meeting on Syria in January 2025, which comes after a similar meeting in December of American, European, Arab and Turkish ministers and officials. A sign of the importance given by the two ministers to an inclusive transition, Jean-Noël Barrot began his visit with a meeting with religious representatives of the Christian community, worried about the arrival of Islamists in power.

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