TUNIS, Tunisia

Tunisian President Kais Saied said he plans to restore diplomatic relations with the Syrian regime.

"Nothing can justify the absence of a Tunisian ambassador in Damascus and an ambassador from Syria in Tunis," Saied said during a meeting with Foreign Minister Nabil Ammar that was broadcast by the Tunisian Presidency.

“The question of the regime in Syria concerns only the Syrian people, and we deal with the Syrian state," he added.

Last month, Saied said he will upgrade his country’s diplomatic representation to Syria.

On March 4, the Tunisian and Syrian foreign ministers expressed willingness to resume their bilateral relations to its normal path by upgrading the level of diplomatic representation between the two countries.

In 2017, Tunisia sent a limited diplomatic mission to Damascus. Flights were resumed the following year between the two countries.

In February 2012, Tunisia severed diplomatic relations with the Syrian regime over its brutal crackdown against pro-democracy protests.

* Writing by Ahmed Asmar