Anadolu staff
06 January 2025•Update: 06 January 2025
ISTANBUL
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani began an official visit to the United Arab Emirates (UAE) on Monday, the first trip to the Gulf country since last month’s fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.
Shaibani is accompanied by Defense Minister Murhaf Abu Qasra and intelligence chief Anas Khattab to discuss horizons of cooperation and coordination between the two nations, the Syrian state news agency SANA said.
On Dec. 23, the UAE made its first declared contact with the new Syrian administration through a phone conversation between Shaibani and his Emirati counterpart Sheikh Abdullah bin Zayed during which they discussed ways of enhancing relations between the two countries.
On Sunday, the top Syrian diplomat visited Qatar. He also made his first overseas visit to Saudi Arabia last week.
On Friday, Shaibani said he also plans to visit Jordan as part of his current tour.
Assad, Syria's leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party's decades-long regime.
The takeover came after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters captured key cities in a lightning offensive that lasted less than two weeks.
A new administration led by Ahmed al-Sharaa has now taken charge.
*Writing by Ahmed Asmar
