Syria’s foreign minister holds talks with his counterparts during Riyadh meetings

By Laith Al-jnaidi

DAMASCUS (AA) - Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani held a series of bilateral meetings with Arab and foreign counterparts on Sunday during the Riyadh meetings on the situation in Syria following last month’s fall of the Bashar al-Assad regime.

The Syrian Foreign Ministry said Shaibani met with Saudi Foreign Minister Faisal bin Farhan, Jordan’s Ayman Safadi, and Bahrain’s Abdullatif bin Rashid Al-Zayani.

The top diplomat also held talks with Turkish Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan, UK Foreign Secretary David Lammy, and UN envoy to Syria Geir Pedersen, according to the same source.

The ministry did not provide any details about the content of Shaibani’s talks with his counterparts.

Riyadh hosted an Arab ministerial meeting and another featuring the foreign ministers of Arab and Western countries on Sunday to discuss the situation in post-Assad Syria.

The Riyadh meetings built on the outcomes of the Aqaba meetings held in Jordan on Dec. 14, 2024. These meetings emphasized support for the Syrian people and pledged to provide all possible assistance to ensure security and stability in the country.

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.

*Writing by Rania Abu Shamala in Istanbul