CNN
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The French and German foreign ministers have met Syria’s new leaders and called for an inclusive transition of power, in the first visit by European Union ministers to Syria since the Assad regime fell in December.
France’s Jean-Noël Barrot was in the Syrian capital Damascus alongside his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock, where they met Syria’s de facto leader Ahmad al-Sharaa, formerly known as Abu Mohammed Al Jolani.
Sharaa’s HTS led the rebellion that toppled Assad and his group has sought to distance itself from its past affiliation with al Qaeda.
Baerbock said that she was traveling to Syria with an “outstretched hand,” according to Reuters, but added that she was also keeping HTS’ past in mind.
The European delegation signaled an openness to work with the new government while at the same time stressed the need to protect minorities.
“It’s time for Syrians to reclaim their own country, with a political transition that allows all of Syria’s diverse communities to be represented, and that allows for all Syrians to be granted Syrian citizenship without religious or gender discrimination,” Barrot said on Friday ahead of the meeting.
“To that end, we are offering Syria’s transitional authorities France’s and the EU’s judicial expertise, its technical expertise to assist the Syrian people in the drafting of this new constitution,” he said.
Baerbock shared similar sentiments in a post on X, writing that “there can only be a new beginning if all Syrians, regardless of their ethnic or religious group, are given a place in the political process.”
While in Syria, Barrot and Baerbock visited the infamous Sednaya prison, which was known for the arbitrary detention, torture and murder that occurred within its walls.
Barrot said that he and Baerbock were “emotionally struck by the barbarism we discovered in the concentration camp style of hell” of the prison.
“Syria cannot rise above if justice is not served. Therefore, as of today, we are offering the transitional authorities France’s technical expertise to contribute to the struggle against impunity, to help achieve transitional justice, as we have done for many years already,” he said.
Baerbock urged the international community to “help to bring justice to the people who have suffered here in this prison of hell,” according to Reuters.
The French foreign minister also said that he will recommend Syria’s new transitional government calls on the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons, so a team can “be quickly sent to Syria to start assessing and proceed with the elimination of chemical weapons.”
CNN’s Claudia Otto contributed to this reporting.