BERLIN

Germany on Monday reaffirmed its support for Syria's government and welcomed a ceasefire and integration agreement with the SDF group in the country's northeast.

"The fact that there was a ceasefire yesterday between the Syrian army and the Kurdish forces is an encouraging sign, but there will certainly still be a lot of work to be done," German Chancellor Friedrich Merz told a news conference in Berlin.

“We haven't yet finalized our assessment of this 14-point plan; we will do so within the government. That said, we want to support the entire reconciliation process in the country,” he said.

Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa postponed his planned visit to Germany this week due to domestic political developments in Syria, including a military operation launched against SDF forces in several cities. The operation followed repeated violations by the SDF group of previous accords.

Merz emphasized that Germany's support for the Syrian government and his invitation to the Syrian president to visit Berlin remained unchanged despite the postponement. He also said, Berlin wants to enhance political and economic relations with Damascus and contribute to Syria’s building, reconciliation, and normalization.

"Around a million Syrian refugees live in Germany today, many waiting to return to their homeland. If the conditions are met, they will return," Merz said. "We have a vested interest in seeing this country find peace and in enabling good coexistence among the different groups within the population," he added.