France Again Raises Its Flag At The Syrian Embassy Of Damascus After 12 Years

UNSPLASH ILLUSTRATION/@_pourya_

JAKARTA - France raised its flag at its embassy in Damascus, Syria, for the first time in 12 years.

EU officials prepare to communicate with Syria's new leadership, after President Bashar al-Assad was ousted.

Reported by Reuters on Tuesday, December 12, France said raising the flag did not automatically mean it would reopen its embassy.

Western countries have gradually opened communication for the new government in Damascus led by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham and its leader Ahmed al-Sharaa, although they continue to call the group terrorists.

Apart from France and England, who sent teams to meet Sharaa, Germany also planned a meeting with the new government.

The European Union said it would also establish contact.

Nine days after Assad was ousted, the new prime minister inaugurated by Islamic group HTS Sharaa said the government was grappling with a very low currency reserve and calling for sanctions imposed on the ousted government to be lifted.

The Sharaa group was part of Al Qaeda until it cut ties in 2016. The group has been confined in the northwestern corner of Syria for years until this month when its troops merged as it invaded Damascus.

In his meeting with British officials, Sharaa, previously known as Abu Mohammed al-Golani, called on countries to restore relations and lift sanctions against Syria to help refugees return to their homes.

Syrian news agency SANA released a photo of Sharaa sitting in a suit in an open shirt when she met the British.

Shara talks about the need to build a state of law and institutions, as well as build security," SANA reported. He also talked about Britain's important role in the international world," the report added.

The fall of Assad, which is a blow to the old Syrian allies, Russia and Iran, has the potential to pave the way for Western countries to reopen contact with Damascus. But at least for now, this requires maneuvers in relation to the determination of terrorism imposed on HTS as long as they are still affiliated with Al Qaeda and financial sanctions imposed on Damascus under the Assad administration.