Germany set to hold first direct talks with new Syrian government: Report

BERLIN

German diplomats are set to hold their first direct talks with representatives of Syria's transitional government, media reported on Tuesday.

According to the Bild newspaper, German diplomats will meet the foreign minister of the new government, which was appointed by Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) leader Ahmed al-Sharaa.

The talks, scheduled to take place on Tuesday in the Syrian capital Damascus, represent the first high-level contact between German officials and the new Syrian administration.

Sources in the German Foreign Ministry told Bild that discussions will center on “an inclusive transition process in Syria and the protection of minorities.”

The German delegation will include representatives from the Federal Economic Cooperation and Development Ministry, indicating potential humanitarian and development assistance may also be discussed.

According to media reports, preparations are underway to reopen the German embassy in Damascus if talks with the Syrian transitional government prove successful. Officials are currently inspecting the long-vacant embassy building for surveillance devices potentially installed by the Assad regime.

The meeting comes as Western nations reassess their approach to Syria following the anti-regime forces' overthrow of Bashar Assad in a lightning two-week offensive. Assad, who ruled Syria with an iron fist for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia on Dec. 8 after opposition groups captured Damascus.

Germany hosts around 1 million Syrian refugees who fled their country since the civil war began in 2011. Their status and potential return to their homeland have become key issues in February's snap elections. While senior politicians from the opposition Christian Democrats (CDU/CSU) push for refugees to return swiftly to Syria,​​​​​​​ Chancellor Olaf Scholz's Social Democrats (SPD) and their coalition partner the Greens advocate a cautious approach, citing Syria's unstable conditions.