Meeting Between the Syrian Foreign Minister and His American Counterpart to Discuss Relations

SadaNews - On Tuesday, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hasan al-Shaibani stated that he met with his American counterpart, Marco Rubio, in New York City, and discussed enhancing relations between the two countries.

In a post on the "X" platform, al-Shaibani expressed his pleasure at meeting Rubio on the sidelines of the 80th session of the United Nations General Assembly.

During the meeting, he emphasized the necessity of lifting sanctions and supporting the Syrian government in the reconstruction and development phase.

He added: "We discussed the prospects for strategic cooperation in political, security, and economic fields, and ways to develop a balanced relationship that serves the interests of the Syrian people and contributes to achieving stability and prosperity in Syria and the region."

For its part, the U.S. State Department stated in a release that Rubio met with Syrian President Ahmad al-Shara and discussed several bilateral and regional issues, including the lifting of U.S. sanctions on Syria, and matters related to stability in Syria.

On Sunday, the Syrian president and several ministers arrived in New York to participate in the United Nations General Assembly meetings, marking the first time a Syrian president has attended since 1967.

No Syrian foreign minister has made an official visit to Washington since 2000 due to the deterioration of relations between the two countries, making this step exceptional and reflecting a desire to open new channels of communication.

Therefore, no Syrian president has participated in United Nations General Assembly meetings at the summit level since the previous president, Nour al-Din al-Atassi (1966-1970).

On December 8, 2024, Syrian factions extended their control over the country, ending 61 years of bloody Ba'ath Party rule and 53 years of Assad family dominance.