Tunisia says Syrian regime to reopen embassy

By Adel Thabeti

TUNIS, Tunisia (AA) – The Syrian regime will reopen its embassy in Tunisia, according to the Tunisian authorities on Wednesday.

A statement by the Tunisian Foreign Ministry said Damascus will also appoint an ambassador to the North African country in the coming period.

“Consultation and coordination between the foreign ministers of the two countries will continue in order to restore Tunisian-Syrian relations to their normal state,” it added.

On April 3, Tunisia said President Kais Saied decided to "initiate procedures for appointing an ambassador of Tunisia in Damascus.”

Tunisia severed diplomatic ties with Damascus on Feb. 4, 2012 following the outbreak of the country’s civil war.

However, in July 2014, Tunisia opened an office for administrative and consular services for the benefit of the Tunisian community in Syria.

Last February, Saied decided to raise the level of Tunisian diplomatic representation in Damascus.

"The issue of the Syrian regime is an internal matter that concerns only the Syrians and the ambassador is appointed to the state, not the regime,” Saied said.

* Ikram Kouachi contributed to this report