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Syria's new foreign minister visits Qatar to discuss diplomatic relations

A statue of the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad lies in ruins atop a mountain in Dayr Atiyah, 5 January, 2025
A statue of the late Syrian President Hafez al-Assad lies in ruins atop a mountain in Dayr Atiyah, 5 January, 2025 Copyright  AP Photo
Copyright AP Photo
By Gavin Blackburn with AP
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Asaad al-Shibani's trip to Doha comes after he hosted the French and German foreign ministers in Damascus on Friday.

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Syria's new foreign minister has met with Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani, Qatar's prime minister and foreign minister, for talks in Doha, as the de facto authorities under Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) aim to establish diplomatic ties with regional and global governments.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani posted on X that he will also visit Jordan and the United Arab Emirates to develop strategic partnerships and support Damascus' security and economic recovery.

Al-Shibani met with his Saudi counterpart in Riyadh on Thursday.

And he also welcomed the foreign ministers of Germany and France in Damascus on Friday.

HTS led a lightning insurgency that ousted former President Bashar al-Assad on 8 December, ending his family's decades-long rule.

Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, left, meeting with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha, 5 January, 2025
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shibani, left, meeting with Qatari Prime Minister and Foreign Minister Mohammed bin Abdulrahman Al Thani in Doha, 5 January, 2025 AP/AP

From 2011 until Assad's downfall, Syria's uprising and civil war killed an estimated 500,000 people.

Much of the world ended diplomatic relations with al-Assad because of his brutal crackdown on protesters and sanctioned him and his Russian and Iranian associates.

Now, Syria hopes to re-establish those ties and lift sanctions slapped on HTS and leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammad al-Jolani, to help make its battered economy viable again.

Al-Assad was backed by Russia, Iran and Lebanese militant group Hezbollah.

HTS now hopes Syria can strengthen ties with Arab countries in the region.

Qatar supported opposition groups that fought against al-Assad and his allies and was one of a few Arab countries that opposed restoring ties with the former president and was against Syria's return to the Arab League in 2023.

"We conveyed to Doha our concerns about the challenges related to the economic sanctions imposed on the Syrian people and we renew our call on the United States to lift those sanctions," Syrian radio station Sham FM quoted Al-Shibani as saying.

Syria's de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa meets with the German and French foreign ministers in Damascus, 3 January, 2025
Syria's de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa meets with the German and French foreign ministers in Damascus, 3 January, 2025 AP/AP

Around 90% of Syrians live in poverty, while more than half of the population doesn't know where their next meal will come from, according to the United Nations.

Al-Sharaa has said he will hold a national dialogue summit that includes different groups across Syria to agree upon a new political road map leading to a new constitution and an election.

He vowed to dissolve HTS during the summit and said in an interview with Saudi television network Al-Arabiyya that the interim government would come from the same political background during this transitional phase to ensure efficiency in running the country.

Still, it's unclear whether Washington will lift sanctions anytime soon.

Europe, meanwhile, appears hesitant because of fears over how religious minorities and women will be treated.

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