London, July 5 (EFE).- The United Kingdom announced on Saturday that it has restored diplomatic relations with Syria, as Foreign Secretary David Lammy made the first British ministerial visit to the country in 14 years.
In a statement, the Foreign Office said Lammy traveled to Damascus, where he expressed British support for the Syrian government led by Ahmed al Shara, with whom he met during the visit.
In his meetings with Shara and Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al Shaibani, Lammy emphasized the UK’s support for “the Syrian government to deliver its commitments to build a more secure and prosperous future for Syrians, increasing security in the wider region and the UK.”
He also stressed the importance of an inclusive and representative political transition in Syria, the statement said.
On the occasion of the visit, the UK announced an additional £94.5 million (about €109.5 million) in urgent humanitarian aid for Syria.
“As the first UK Minister to visit Syria since the fall of Assad’s brutal regime, I have seen first-hand the remarkable progress Syrians have made in rebuilding their lives and their country,” Lammy said.
After more than a decade of civil conflict, Lammy noted, there is “ there is renewed hope for war-battered Syrians.
“The UK is re-establishing diplomatic relations because it is in our interests to support the new government to deliver their commitment to build a stable, more secure and prosperous future for all Syrians.”
Lammy noted that a stable Syria is in the UK’s interests, reducing the risk of irregular migration, ensuring the destruction of chemical weapons, tackling the threat of terrorism and delivering the Government’s Plan for Change,” he added.
During the visit, Lammy met with Syrian Civil Defense volunteers, known as the White Helmets, to learn about their work clearing unexploded ordnance and providing emergency medical services.
He also announced an additional £2 million (€2.3 million) for the Organisation for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) to support its work managing the chemical weapons legacy of the Assad regime.
The UK views the fall of Assad’s regime as an opportunity for the al Shara government to fully declare and destroy any remaining chemical weapons in the country.
Following his visit to Syria, Lammy will travel to Kuwait to strengthen bilateral ties and press for greater market access for British companies. EFE
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