Syrian, French presidents agree to reappoint ambassadors after more than decade

Damascus, Jul 7 (AP) The presidents of Syria and France say they have agreed to reappoint ambassadors after more than a decade, marking a major restoration of diplomatic ties for a country recovering from years of civil war. Ahmad al-Sharaa and Emmanuel Macron made the announcement in a press conference during the French leader's landmark visit to Damascus, and hours after blasts rocked the Syrian capital. “Our meeting marks a historical milestone,” al-Sharaa said. France had closed its embassy in 2012 during the civil war but symbolically reopened it in early 2025. Macron is the first French president to visit Syria in nearly two decades. (AP) GSP