French President Emmanuel Macron is set to meet Syria’s de facto leader, Ahmed al-Sharaa, on Wednesday, currently heading the interim government in Damascus after the fall of the Assad regime in 2024.
Syria is witnessing the return of normalcy and the end of major conflict and armed confrontations post-regime change; however, isolated incidents of violence still resurface occasionally in the country.
Macron will "reiterate France's support for the construction of a new Syria, a free, stable, sovereign Syria that respects all components of Syrian society," the presidency said Tuesday.
"This meeting is part of France's historic commitment to the Syrian people who aspire to peace and democracy," it added.
During the meeting, Macron will highlight "his demands on the Syrian government, primarily the stabilisation of the region, including Lebanon, and the fight against terrorism," the presidency said.
Macron had invited the new leadership to visit France in early February after the HTS group, supported by Turkey, Saudi Arabia, and the UAE, seized control of Syria from autocratic dictator Bashar al-Assad last year.
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In March, he sent out another invitation but made it conditional on the formation of an inclusive Syrian government representing “all components of civil society,” describing his earlier conversation with the leadership as “positive.”
Despite being an offshoot of the AL-Qaeda network, the HTS leadership has vowed inclusive rule in the multi-confessional, multi-ethnic country.
They have repeatedly pledged to protect all religious groups and include all of Syrian society in the transition, with many countries saying they will monitor the new authorities' conduct before fully lifting sanctions.
But sectarian clashes in March, in which more than 1,700 people, mostly Alawites, were killed in coastal areas, sparked widespread condemnation.
Since the replacement of the Assad regime, Israel has occupied parts Golan Heights, retaken after the 1967 Arab war and is carrying out repeated airstrikes on Syria, a move condemned by the Arab states as “intentional provocation.”
Israel has been playing with fire lately, which will engulf the entire region and send it into further chaos. The Netanyahu government is seeking a war with Iran; however, in doing so, they are, what many describe as, making their way easier by taking out neighbouring countries before attempting a war with Tehran.
France has been a vocal critic of Israel for its relentless bombings of civilian areas in Gaza. Earlier, the French president announced that France was going to recognise a Palestinian state. Israel responded by cancelling the visas of the French diplomats intending to visit Gaza and Israel.
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