German, French foreign ministers visit Syria

When German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock travelled to Syria with her French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot one scene at the beginning of her visit caused a lack of understanding, at least in Germany.

During her welcome in Syria's capital Damascus Baerbock did not receive a handshake from Ahmed al-Sharaa, who has been considered the de facto political leader of Syria since the fall of the Assad regime and is the leader of the Islamist HTS militia. During her joint visit with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot, Baerbock wanted to talk about the rights of women and minorities, among other things.

While some media reports saw a lack of respect for the German foreign minister in this, she herself seems to have been prepared for the situation.

"Even when I arrived, it was clear to me that there would obviously be no ordinary handshakes here", she said at a press conference following the visit. "But it was also clear, and I believe my partners in dialogue as well, that not only I, but also the French foreign minister did not share this view. And accordingly, the French foreign minister did not extend his hands. And above all, we both made it very, very clear that the issue of women's rights is not just an issue that concerns women's rights, but women's rights are - as you can see more than clearly here in one of our neighbouring countries - an indicator of how free a society is", she added.

Baerbock and Barrot are sounding out possible cooperation with the new Syrian rulers on behalf of the EU in Damascus. The Green politician said that she was coming with an outstretched hand, but also with clear expectations.

Germany's Annalena Baerbock and France's Jean-Noel Barrot are the first ministers from the EU to visit Syria since rebels seized control of Damascus on Dec. 8 and forced President Bashar al-Assad to flee after more than 13 years of civil war, ending his family's decades-long rule.