The French Ministry of Foreign Affairs announced that it will send a team of diplomats to Syria next Tuesday to assess the political and security situation, without specifying whom the team will meet there. This is the first such visit since 2012.
According to a statement issued by the ministry, a team of French diplomats will travel to Syria next Tuesday, signalling France’s readiness to support the Syrian people. The ministry added that the diplomats will submit a report to the Foreign Minister following a series of meetings there, as reported by Reuters today, Sunday, December 15.
The French minister of Foreign Affairs, Jean-Noël Barrot, said France would clarify its position regarding the political process in Syria. “We will make it clear that minorities and women must be respected and protected”, he said.
The French visit is the first of its kind from Europe and the second internationally, following a Turkish visit to Damascus two days ago. Sunday, the United Nations envoy to Syria, Geir Pedersen, arrived in the Syrian capital in a visit described as the first of its kind following the escape of the regime’s leader, Bashar al-Assad.
Talk of the potential French mission and Pedersen’s visit comes after the meeting of the “Arab Contact Group” on Syria, which took place yesterday, Saturday, in Aqaba, Jordan. It included the participation of the foreign ministers of Jordan, Saudi Arabia, Iraq, Lebanon, Egypt, the Secretary-General of the Arab League, as well as the foreign ministers of the United States, Turkey, the UAE, Bahrain, Qatar, the French Minister of Europe and Foreign Affairs, and representatives from Britain and Germany, along with the EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy.
The Aqaba meeting concluded with a reaffirmation of support for a peaceful Syrian-Syrian political transition that includes all Syrian political and social forces, including women, youth, and civil society, under the auspices of the United Nations and the Arab League, and in line with the principles, objectives, and mechanisms of UN Security Council Resolution 2254.
According to the resolution, the Contact Group supports the formation of an inclusive transitional governing body by Syrian consensus and the implementation of the steps outlined in the resolution to transition from the interim stage to a new political system. This system should meet the aspirations of the Syrian people in all its diversity through free and fair elections under UN supervision, based on a new constitution approved by the Syrians, within a defined timeline and mechanisms established by the resolution.
Syrian opposition factions took control of the capital, Damascus, following the escape of the ousted regime leader, Bashar al-Assad, and the withdrawal of regime forces from public institutions and streets on December 8, marking the end of over five decades of Assad family rule.
This article was translated and edited by The Syrian Observer. The Syrian Observer has not verified the content of this story. Responsibility for the information and views set out in this article lies entirely with the author.
