Qatar reopens its embassy in Syria after years, France and the EU send diplomats

For the first time in thirteen years, Qatar is opening an embassy in Syria. This was reported by the Reuters news agency on Monday. Qatar closed its embassy in Damascus in July 2011, as the civil war in Syria had just begun. Many other embassies followed, including the Netherlands in 2012. Qatar’s Ministry of Foreign Affairs said in a statement that the decision is an expression of support for the Syrian people and their “struggle to obtain their legitimate rights for a dignified life.” In recent years, Qatar has not been part of several attempts by Arab countries to restore ties with Damascus.

The fall of Assad means that Syria has been plunged into a new geopolitical situation. Last weekend, Turkey also reopened the Turkish embassy in Damascus. Russia, an ally of the fallen Assad regime, actually evacuated some of the embassy staff. “The work of the Russian Embassy in Damascus continues,” the Russian Foreign Ministry said. According to the Russian state news agency RIA, there are no longer any diplomats from Belarus in Syria.

Although France did not announce the reopening of an embassy in Damascus, the country will send a team of diplomats to Syria on Tuesday. “A team of French diplomats will travel to Syria this Tuesday to underline France’s willingness to support the Syrian people,” the French Foreign Ministry said last weekend. The European Union has also announced that it will send a diplomat to Damascus. According to Kaja Kallas, the European minister in charge of foreign affairs, the EU diplomat will go to Syria on Monday and contact the country’s interim government.

An Italian ambassador turned already returned to the Syrian capital last summer, even before the fall of Assad. The country thus became the first of the G7 countries to resume diplomatic ties with Syria.

To share





Email the editor