Germany reopens embassy in Syria after 13 years

The reopening of the diplomatic mission comes despite serious outbreaks of violence on the Syrian coast

Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani receives German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock in Damascus on Thursday during a visit to reopen the German embassy. Sana / AFP

Germany has reopened its embassy to Syria, 13 years after its mission in Damascus closed its doors when former dictator Bashar Al Assad violently suppressed a popular uprising and a brutal civil war broke out in the country.

The reopening of the mission comes three months after Mr Al Assad was ousted from power by a coalition of rebels headed by his recently appointed successor, Ahmad Al Shara, in a lightning rebel offensive that ended more than 50 years of Assad family rule over Syria.

The reopening of the diplomatic mission comes despite a deadly outbreak of violence on the Syrian coast, heartland of Alawite minority to which Mr Assad belongs, as security forces aligned with the new government battled loyalists of the old regime. Hundreds of civilians were killed, most of them Alawites, said monitoring groups such as the Syrian Observatory for Human Rights.

The German embassy was opened by Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock, making her second visit to the Syrian capital since Mr Al Assad was ousted on December 8. She said she would use this trip to tell Syria's government that a “fresh start” between Europe and Germany on one side and Syria on the other was conditional on all Syrians enjoying freedom and security, regardless of faith, gender or ethnicity.

Ms Baerbock said the recent surge in violence had undermined faith in the Syrian authorities. Much of the population was "scared that life in the future Syria will not be safe for all Syrians”, she added. “The appalling bouts of violence two weeks ago have cost a massive amount of trust.”

Speaking after talks with Mr Al Shara and other officials, she said that "it is imperative that extremist groups in their ranks are brought under control and those responsible for crimes are held accountable. Any attempt at renewed escalation must be prevented," Ms Baerbock said at a press conference at which she warned that actors both inside and outside the country were trying to "torpedo" the political transition.

"As Europeans, we will not support a resurgence of Islamist structures," she said, urging the new authorities to create a power-sharing system in which all groups, including Druze, Alawites, Christians and others, "also feel part of a new, shared Syria". The participation of women would be "a key indicator of this", she said. "Our common goal is that Syria never falls back into civil war."

In mid-December, the EU said it would reopen its mission in Syria to work with the country's new leaders. In January, EU member Hungary said it would reopen its embassy in Damascus. Turkey, a vital backer of the rebels-turned-rulers, and Qatar, were among the first nations to reopen their missions in the Syrian capital in mid-December, while Spain reopened its embassy in January.