Several countries and organizations had welcomed the fall of Assad, but said they were waiting to see how the new authorities, Sunni Muslims, would treat the minorities of the multi-ethnic and multi-religious country.
In the meantime, several announced that they had established contact with them encouraged by the declarations of the new Prime Minister in charge of the transition, Mohammad al-Bashir, who promised to “guarantee the rights of all”.
UN special envoy for Syria Geir Pedersen met with Abu Muhammad al-Jolani, leader of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) group, which led the coalition of rebel groups that ousted Bashar al-Assad of power, the coalition announced on its Telegram channel.
“We must ensure that Syria receives increased immediate humanitarian aid for the population and for all refugees who wish to return,” Pedersen, whose visit is the first by a senior official, said earlier in the day. of the UN since Assad’s flight to Russia.
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The European Union planned to send a high representative to Damascus this Monday to meet the leaders of the new power, announced the head of European diplomacy Kaja Kallas.
After Washington on Saturday, the United Kingdom, through its head of diplomacy David Lammy, announced on Sunday that it had established “diplomatic contacts” with HTS, classified as an organization by London.
For its part, France announced the sending of a diplomatic mission to Damascus on Tuesday, the first in 12 years, to “establish initial contacts” with the new authorities.
Doha announced the reopening of its embassy in Syria on Tuesday after the arrival on Sunday of a Qatari delegation in the country where it met the new authorities.
Turkey had already reopened its embassy in Damascus on Saturday after more than 12 years of closure.
Ukrainian President Volodymyr Zelensky, for his part, announced that he wanted to provide Syria with grain and other agricultural products on a humanitarian basis.
After 50 years of unchallenged rule by the Assad clan and relentless repression, the new authorities are working to reassure the international community.
