Jordan stands ready to help Syria rebuild, its foreign minister said after meeting Syria’s new de facto ruler Ahmed Al Sharaa in Damascus yesterday, the highest-level contact by an Arab state with Syria’s new Islamist-led administration.
Qatar’s Minister of State for Foreign Affairs Mohammed Al Khulaifi also arrived in Damascus yesterday for meetings aboard the first Qatar Airways flight to land in the Syrian capital since former President Bashar Al Assad was toppled, the Qatari Foreign Ministry spokesperson said on X.
The meetings further widen the diplomatic contacts of the new administration established after Sharaa’s Hayat Tahrir Al Sham (HTS) group, a former Al Qaeda affiliate, led a decisive rebel offensive that overthrew Assad after more than 13 years of war.
Sharaa, also known by his nom de guerre Abu Mohammed Al Golani, wore a suit and tie during the meeting with Jordanian Foreign Minister Ayman Al Safadi, photos posted on social media by the Jordanian Foreign Ministry showed.
“Our talks were clear that we in the kingdom are ready to provide support,” he said after the meeting, adding that the new Syrian administration must have the opportunity to develop its plans. “I focused on reconstruction efforts and Jordan will provide aid,” Safadi added.
Body copy (news): Syria’s stability is a key security concern for Jordan, a US allied Arab state which borders the country to the south.
Sharaa, who met senior US diplomats last week, severed ties with Al Qaeda in 2016. He has said his primary focus is on reconstruction and achieving economic development and that he is not interested in engaging in any new conflicts.
Safadi said: “I am here in Damascus to say we are ready to help our Syrian brothers.”
A delegation from Saudi Arabia met Sharaa at the People’s Palace, according to reports from an Al Arabiya correspondent.
UAE Foreign Minister Shaikh Abdullah bin Zayed Al Nahyan yesterday held a phone call with newly appointed Syrian counterpart Asaad Hassan Al Shibani, where they discussed boosting bilateral ties, the state news agency WAM reported.
Türkiye is in close dialogue with Sharaa, Turkish President Tayyip Erdogan said yesterday, adding visits to Syria will increase from now on.
Speaking after a cabinet meeting in Ankara, Erdogan said Türkiye would provide the Syrian people with all the support they needed to consolidate their gains.
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