German and French foreign ministers arrive in Damascus to offer a helping hand

DAMASCUS - German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock and her French counterpart Jean-Noel Barrot were in Damascus on Friday. They are the first ministers from the European Union to visit Syria since the HTS rebel group seized power after the overthrow of Bashar Assad in December.

The visit is a "familiarisation" event for the EU, which is considering its approach to the country's new de facto rulers. The French and German ministers are representing the bloc here, and there have been suggestions from Brussels that if they pass the test, Europe could be open to much closer relations.

Kaja Kallas, EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs, wrote on the social network X: "Our message to Syria's new leadership: respecting the principles agreed with regional actors and ensuring the protection of all civilians and minorities is of the utmost importance."

Before leaving for Damascus, Baerbock told reporters that she was making the trip with "an outstretched hand" but that Berlin had "clear expectations" of what it wanted from the new rulers.

"We know where HTS comes from ideologically and what it has done in the past," noted the German foreign minister, referring to the group's al-Qaeda-linked al-Nusra Front origins.

French Foreign Minister Barrot also spoke of the pursuit of a "sovereign and secure" Syria. Both Paris and Berlin have offered to help Damascus draft a new constitution, with Barrot saying the hope for a democratic transition in Syria is "fragile but real".

Financial assistance for voluntary repatriation

The visit took place on the same day that a Foreign Ministry spokesman in Berlin confirmed plans to expand a financial programme for Syrians who have been granted asylum in Germany to return to Syria voluntarily. Under the plan, approximately $1,230 would be available to anyone willing to participate in the program.

Germany is in an election campaign, the federal elections will take place on 23 February and migration will be a big part of the debate. Christian Social Union leader Markus Söder and Christian Democratic Union heavyweight Jens Spahn came up with similar proposals for voluntary repatriation, each suggesting roughly $1,000 per adult for a return to Syria.

However, these offers were not generally welcomed by the Syrian community in Germany. Anas Modamani, who famously took a selfie with then-Chancellor Angela Merkel at the height of the refugee influx in 2015, said: "I think it's a terrible idea... the situation in Syria is still as dangerous as before."

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