British FM meets Syrian president in Damascus

DAMASCUS: The UK’s top diplomat David Lammy met Syria’s leader Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus on Saturday, the Syrian presidency said, in his first visit since longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad was overthrown in December.

Interim President Sharaa received Lammy alongside Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, according to photos of the meeting released by the presidency.

The talks addressed “bilateral ties… and ways of strengthening cooperation, as well as regional and international developments”, Sharaa’s office said in a statement.

The Syrian foreign ministry issued a similar statement following a separate meeting between Lammy and Shaibani.

Syria has seen a flurry of diplomatic activity since Islamist-led forces ousted Assad in December after more than 13 years of grinding civil war.

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In May, Syrian Defence Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra met with an official British delegation, the defence ministry said at the time.

In April, the UK government announced it was lifting sanctions imposed on Syria’s interior and defence ministries under Assad.

It also said it was lifting sanctions against various media groups and intelligence agencies, as well as on some sectors of the economy including financial services and energy production.

A month earlier, it lifted sanctions on 24 entities including Syria’s central bank.

Syria’s new authorities have welcomed the moves, which came as they seek to rebuild the country and reboot its moribund economy, both ravaged by the conflict and crippling sanctions.