Syrian foreign minister, US deputy secretary of state discuss bilateral ties in Washington meeting
Asaad al-Shaibani, Christopher Landau talks focused on future of Syrian-American relations, says Syrian Foreign Ministry
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani
ISTANBUL
Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani met with US Deputy Secretary of State Christopher Landau on Friday in Washington, DC, to discuss relations between the two countries, Syria’s Foreign Ministry said.
The ministry said in a statement posted on the US social media company X that the talks covered “Syrian-American relations and prospects for their development.” It did not provide further details on specific issues addressed during the meeting.
US State Department's deputy spokesman Tommy Pigott said in a separate statement that Landau and US Special Envoy for Syria Tom Barrack also took part in the talks, which covered “the future of Syria, Israel-Syria relations, and implementation of the March 10 agreement between Syria and the Syrian Democratic Forces.”
On March 10, the Syrian presidency announced an agreement to integrate the Syrian Democratic Forces (SDF) into state institutions, stressing the country’s territorial integrity and rejecting any separatist agenda.
The SDF is dominated by the terrorist group YPG, the Syrian branch of the terrorist PKK.
Pigott said Landau underscored a “historic opportunity” for Syria to build a peaceful, prosperous, and sovereign nation following President Donald Trump’s announcement on sanctions relief.
"Principals also discussed other matters of shared concern, including countering terrorism and continuing to expand mutual economic opportunities,” the statement added.
Shaibani arrived in Washington, DC, on Thursday, marking the first visit by a Syrian foreign minister to the US in more than 25 years.
The historic visit comes as Damascus seeks to expand diplomatic engagement abroad following years of isolation during the Syrian civil war and following the fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.
Assad, who ruled Syria for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia in late 2024, ending the Baath Party’s decades-long grip on power that began in 1963. A new transitional administration led by President Ahmad al-Sharaa was formed in Syria in January following Assad’s fall.
