Plly a month after the fall of Bashar al-Assad’s regime, Syria’s new leader, Ahmed al-Chareh, formerly known as Abu Mohammed al-Joulani, hosted the French and German in Damascus this Friday.
Dressed in a suit and tie – which contrast with the khaki combat outfit he had been wearing until then – the leader of the Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTC) created a surprise by shaking Jean’s hand -Noël Barrot, but not that of his German counterpart. Obviously informed in advance of this protocol, Annalena Baerbock was content to greet the Islamist leader from afar, thus avoiding any physical contact. The handshake is indeed a symbolic diplomatic gesture, since it is very often photographed, but not obligatory.
Damascus: Syria’s new ruler, the Islamist Ahmad Al-Sharaa, generally does not shake hands with women.
The greeting from Foreign Minister Baerbock and her French colleague Barrot is considered friendly by his standards. pic.twitter.com/XcMwxFMfqP
— Andreas Kynast (@andikynast) https://twitter.com/andikynast/status/1875155490952413411?ref_src=twsrc%5Etfw
“Alongside the Syrian people”
The two diplomats, who are the first ministers from EU member states to visit Syria since rebels took control of Damascus, called for forging a new relationship with the country and demanded a transition of power peaceful.
Annalena Baerbock said she was going to Syria with a “may […] Read more
