Egypt top diplomat visits Syria for first time in decade

DAMASCUS — Egypt's Foreign Minister Sameh Shoukry on Monday pledged solidarity with the Syrian people after a deadly quake that sparked rare Arab outreach, during a rare visit to the country.

The trip is the latest example of regional outreach to President Bashar Assad's internationally-isolated government — which was expelled from Cairo-based Arab League after Syria's conflict erupted in 2011.

He is the third Arab foreign minister to meet Assad since the February 6 quake struck Syria and neighbouring Turkey killing more than 46,000 people, after the United Arab Emirates and Jordan sent their top diplomats.

Shoukry held talks with Assad and his Syrian counterpart Faisal Mekded, and said he conveyed a message of "solidarity and sympathy" on behalf of Egyptian President Abdel Fattah Al Sissi.

Cairo was ready to provide more quake relief to the victims of the quake, he told a news conference with Mekdad.

Assad thanked Egypt for its "aid to support the Syrian government's efforts to provide relief to those affected by the earthquake", a statement from his office said.

In the aftermath of the quake, Sisi called his Syrian counterpart, in the first official exchange between the two leaders.

Egypt sent three planes and two boats loaded with humanitarian aid to the quake-hit Arab country.

Asked by reporters whether Egyptian-Syrian ties would be fully restored, Shoukry said on Monday that the purpose of his visit was “primarily humanitarian”.

The Egyptian foreign minister is also due to visit Turkey, with which Cairo has also had strained ties for a decade.

While Cairo and Damascus have largely maintained relations during the conflict, many other Arab countries have severed ties with Syria.

But since the earthquake, the Syrian president has received calls and aid from Arab leaders, a momentum analysts say he could leverage to bolster regional support.

On Sunday, a delegation of Arab parliamentary leaders met with Assad in Damascus, including the speaker of Egypt’s parliament, Hanafy Al Gebali.

Egyptian state media described him as “the most senior Egyptian official to visit Damascus” in over a decade.

Egypt’s official position on Syria has called for “a political solution”, steering clear of discussing the fate of Assad himself, whose departure has long been demanded by several Arab leaders.

Syria’s conflict has claimed around 500,000 lives and displaced around half the country’s pre-war population.