These are busy days for Syrian diplomacy. Foreign Minister Assaad al-Shibani made his first foreign visit on Jan. 1, traveling to Saudi Arabia, while French and German foreign ministers arrived in Damascus on Jan. 3 and met with government and Christian religious leaders.
Al-Shibani led a delegation that included the Defense Minister and the intelligence chief, at the invitation of the Saudi Foreign Ministry. They met with Saudi Defense Minister Prince Khalid bin Salman in Riyadh on Jan. 2. Khalid bin Salman posted on X: “Met with the New Syrian Administration’s Foreign Minister, Defense Minister, and Intelligence Chief. We discussed developments in Syria and explored ways to support the transitional political process in achieving the Syrian people’s aspirations for security, stability, and unity.”
French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock arrived in Damascus on Jan. 3, where they met together with the new administration in Syria led by Ahmed al-Sharaa. They had a mandate to represent the European Union.
