Italy’s foreign minister says coordination key to achieving stability in Syria

By Nur Asena Erturk

ANKARA (AA) – Italy’s foreign minister said Thursday that coordination between partners is a “strategic” element to achieve peace and stability in Syria.

Antonio Tajani made the remarks after holding a meeting of the Quint group in Italy ahead of his trip to the Syrian capital Damascus.

It was attended by European Union foreign policy chief Kaja Kallas.

“I welcomed #Quint partners…to take stock of latest developments in Syria before leaving for Damascus,” he wrote on X.

The Quint is an informal decision-making group consisting of the US, France, Germany, Italy and the UK.

The Syrian people should be able to “hope for a future of peace, stability and prosperity,” Tajani said, adding “coordination and cohesion between our diplomacies are strategic elements to achieve this common goal.”

Bashar al-Assad, Syria's leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party's decades-long regime.

The takeover came after Hayat Tahrir al-Sham fighters captured key cities in a lightning offensive that lasted less than two weeks.

A new administration led by Ahmed al-Sharaa has now taken control of the country.