UK FM Lammy meets with Syria’s president al-Sharaa as relations resume

British foreign secretary David Lammy visited the Syrian capital on Saturday for an official visit, marking the first time a UK official of this rank visited the country in over 14 years.

Lammy met with Syria’s President Ahmed al-Sharaa at the People’s Palace, with the Syrian foreign minister Asaad al-Shaibani also in attendance.

The Syrian foreign ministry later stated the meeting consisted of discussions around "bilateral relations between the two countries and ways to develop them in various areas of mutual interest," noting that the visit represents an important milestone in the process of rebuilding Syrian-British relations.

Following the presidential meeting, al-Shaibani held talks with his British counterpart, where the pair discussed "enhancing dialogue and joint cooperation," according to a statement issued by the Syrian Foreign Ministry.

This comes after the British foreign secretary sent a high-level official delegation to Damascus in the early days following the fall of the former Assad regime, a move that was said to be aimed at "meeting with the new Syrian authorities and discussing ways to support the transitional phase.

In a statement issued on Saturday, the British government affirmed that "the Foreign Secretary's visit to Damascus restores diplomatic relations with Syria, the first ministerial visit in 14 years."

The statement added: "Minister Lammy came to affirm the United Kingdom's support for the new Syrian government in implementing its political, economic, and humanitarian commitments. We are announcing an additional package of £94.5 million to provide urgent aid to Syrians".

Lammy’s visit to Damascus comes just one day after a phone call between Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shaibani and his US counterpart, Marco Rubio. During the call, the two sides discussed several contentious issues, including US sanctions on Syria, chemical weapons, Iranian interference, the fight against ISIS, and the repeated Israeli violations inside Syria.

During the call, al-Shaibani informed Rubio that "Syria looks forward to building balanced relations with the United States and working to lift US sanctions, most notably the Caesar Act," further noting that "easing restrictions imposed on the Syrian economy will be a key factor in attracting foreign investment in the current period".

The call also addressed the possibility of Syrian President Ahmed al-Sharaa's participation in the upcoming UN General Assembly meetings in New York, an indication of the Syrian government's desire to re-engage with international institutions after years of political isolation due to the Assad regime.

Reports state that the diplomatic moves indicate that Syria is entering a new era of relations with the West.