Germany reopened its embassy in Syria on Thursday, with the German Foreign Minister present, urging the transitional authorities to do everything possible to ensure security in the country.

Three months after the fall of Syrian President Bashar al-Assad, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock personally took back the keys to the embassy, which had been closed in 2012 following the civil war.

In a country divided between multiple religious communities, where the transition remains challenging three months after Bashar al-Assad's departure, Baerbock was scheduled to hold talks with interim Syrian President Ahmad al-Chareh and Foreign Minister Assaad al-Chaibani on Thursday.

According to sources close to the German Foreign Ministry, "the embassy has a small political team and will continue to develop its presence, depending on the situation."

"Due to the security context and limited space capacities," visa and consular matters will continue to be handled from Beirut, Lebanon, these same sources clarified.

Before its closure in January 2012 and the reduction of staff due to the crisis, the German embassy in Damascus employed about fifty people, including 25 to 30 expatriates and around 20 local staff.

Among the EU countries, the Italian embassy has already resumed operations in Damascus. France has raised its flag on the building and taken possession of the premises but has not yet resumed consular activities. Spain also announced it had raised its flag on its embassy in mid-January.

A 'New Beginning'

Just before leaving Lebanon for Syria, Baerbock urged the new authorities to ensure peace and security for all Syrians, two weeks after massacres in the west of the country that left over 1,500 civilians dead, mostly from the Alawite minority to which the Assad family belongs. These were the worst violent attacks since a coalition led by the Sunni Islamist group Hayat Tahrir al-Cham (HTS) came to power.

Many Syrians "fear that life in the future Syria will not be safe for everyone," Baerbock said in a statement. This is her second visit to Syria since Bashar al-Assad's fall. She urged the Syrian transitional government to ensure it controls the "groups within its ranks."

She added that the government should hold those responsible for the violence accountable and guarantee peace and prosperity across Syria, a country marked by 14 years of devastating civil war. "This is the enormous task faced by the Syrian transitional government led by Ahmad al-Chareh," she said.

Baerbock indicated that during her visit, she would tell the Syrian government that a "new beginning" between Europe, Germany, and Syria was conditional on ensuring that all Syrians enjoy freedom and security, regardless of their faith, gender, or ethnic background. Germany announced on Monday a pledge of €300 million for reconstruction in Syria as part of a donors' conference that raised aid commitments amounting to €5.8 billion.

Baerbock had previously visited Syria on January 3 with her French counterpart, Jean-Noël Barrot, on a European Union mandate. This visit went viral on social media after Ahmad al-Chareh refused to shake Baerbock's hand. As is customary for some strict Muslims, the Islamist leader greeted her by placing his hand on his chest after briefly touching the fingertips of his French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot.

This gesture gained particular attention when Baerbock visited Damascus to advocate for women's rights, but the German government downplayed its significance, promoting a pragmatic approach.

© Agence France-Presse