Germany’s Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock reopened her country’s embassy in Damascus on Thursday, marking the first time in 13 years that Germany has had a diplomatic presence in Syria, The Associated Press reported. The embassy closure occurred during the early stages of Syria’s civil war. Baerbock emphasized that Europe needs “eyes and ears” on the ground to track the ongoing Syrian political transition. Baerbock reopened the embassy ahead of a meeting with interim President Ahmad al-Sharaa and other Syrian officials during her second visit to Damascus since the fall of former President Bashar Assad in December. Among the 27 European Union nations, Italy reopened its embassy last year, prior to Assad’s fall, while Spain did so following his ouster. “With this embassy opening, we are saying very clearly that Germany is back in Damascus, Germany has a paramount interest in a stable Syria,” Baerbock said to reporters, according to AP . Currently, the embassy will operate with a small team, supported by colleagues stationed in neighboring Lebanon, and will not offer consular or visa services. The mission is being led by a charge d’affaires, with Baerbock adding, “Whether there will in the future be an ambassador again depends on further political and, of course, security developments here.” “We want the political process in Syria to move forward and to support it as well as is possible,” she stated. “For that, we as Europeans and as the Federal Republic of Germany need our colleagues as eyes and ears on the ground.” Baerbock’s visit comes after recent clashes between Assad-loyal fighters and forces loyal to Syria's new rulers, resulting in the worst violence since the civil war began. Nearly 1,000 people were killed, most of them members of Assad’s Alawite minority. During her talks with the transitional government, Baerbock “emphasized that it’s now up to them to hold those responsible to account.” Sharaa’s Islamist group, Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS), which played a key role in toppling Assad in December, traces its origins to Al-Qaeda’s Syrian branch and remains classified as a terrorist organization by multiple countries, including the United States, though the US lifted the bounty on Sharaa’s head soon after he was named Syria’s leader. Related articles: IDF strikes Syrian military bases to neutralize threats US, Israel discuss resettlement of Gazans in Syria Al-Julani orders inquiry into massacres in Syria Syria’s interim leader signs Islamist constitution Despite its history, HTS had previously pledged to safeguard Syria’s religious and ethnic minorities and Sharaa has vowed to build Syria “on the rule of law.” Last week, Sharaa approved a temporary constitution that will place the country under Islamist rule for the next five years as it undergoes a transitional phase.
