Syria's interim FM meets with Turkish president, FM on 1st official visit

Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad Al-Shaibani met with Turkish President Recep Tayyip Erdogan and Foreign Minister Hakan Fidan on Wednesday on his first official visit to Türkiye. The meeting between Erdogan and Al-Shaibani addressed the most recent situation in Syria and steps to be taken to preserve the country's territorial integrity.

 In a joint press conference following the meeting with Al-Shaibani and Fidan said "the international community could support Syria to rebuild state institutions and build capacity," calling for the removal of sanctions "to facilitate the provision of basic public services and accelerate normalization.

" Fidan also reaffirmed Ankara's commitment to aiding the fight against terrorism, including operational support against the Islamic State (IS), emphasizing that regional cooperation is vital.

The Turkish minister also announced that Türkiye's consulate in Aleppo would reopen on Jan. 20.