Paris: Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa arrived in Paris for his inaugural official visit to a European nation since assuming office. This visit, reported by state news agency SANA, marks a significant diplomatic engagement for Syria.
According to Anadolu Agency, Sharaa's visit was initiated at the behest of French President Emmanuel Macron. The discussions between Sharaa and Macron are set to focus on Syria's reconstruction efforts and address the issue of recurrent Israeli strikes on Syrian soil. The agenda is expected to prioritize economic development in the energy and aviation sectors and also cover regional diplomacy, with special attention to relations with Lebanon.
The Information Ministry source highlighted the visit's importance, labeling it a landmark in Syria's foreign relations, being Sharaa's first European engagement since the ousting of Bashar al-Assad's regime in December. The Elysee Palace had earlier confirmed Sharaa's arrival, with Macron poised to express his backing for the creation of a "new, free, and stable Syria."
Upon arrival, Sharaa, alongside Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani, met with Fared al-Madh'an, alias 'Caesar,' the military defector who unveiled mass torture under Assad's regime. Madh'an publicly identified himself as a Chief Warrant Officer and head of forensic evidence in Damascus, having disclosed thousands of photos and documents illustrating the regime's torture practices.
In a February interview with Al Jazeera, Madh'an detailed his efforts to smuggle evidence of systematic abuses to international bodies. His revelations included around 11,000 images of victims tortured between May 2011 and August 2013. These disclosures were pivotal in the enactment of the Caesar Syria Civilian Protection Act by the US Congress on December 11, 2019, sanctioning the Assad regime for war crimes.
The formation of a new transitional administration under President Sharaa in January marked the end of Assad's nearly 25-year rule, concluding the Baath Party's long-standing dominance initiated in 1963. Assad's departure to Russia in December signaled a new chapter in Syrian governance.