French President Emmanuel Macron spoke on the phone with new Syrian Interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa on Wednesday and invited him to visit France in the coming weeks.

This appeared to be Mr Al-Sharaa’s first direct contact with a European head of state.

According to a statement from the Syrian presidential office, Mr Macron congratulated Mr Al-Sharaa on taking over the presidency and on “liberating the country.’’

There was initially no official confirmation of the invitation from Paris.

According to the Élysée Palace, Mr Macron took the initiative for the phone call in view of an international conference on Syria set to take place in Paris on February 13.

Mr Macron had expressed the hope that the process initiated by the interim government would fully meet the aspirations of the Syrian people.

The statement said Mr Macron also stressed France’s loyalty to the democratic forces in Syria and called for their full integration into the Syrian transition process, according to Paris.

According to the statement, Mr Macron said France was working to lift sanctions against Syria to promote economic recovery and growth.

Mr Al-Sharaa thanked Mr Macron for France’s support for the Syrian people in recent years.

After the civil war broke out in Syria in 2011, France provided logistical and military support to rebels in the country.

Mr Al-Sharaa was appointed Syrian interim president a week ago after his Islamist militia HTS led a lightning rebel offensive that overthrew the previous government of long-time dictator Bashar al-Assad in December.

Since taking office, Mr Al-Sharaa has travelled to Saudi Arabia and Turkey and received high-ranking delegations from the EU.

France is rapidly pursuing its rapprochement with the new rulers in Syria.

French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot and his German counterpart Annalena Baerbock visited Damascus on behalf of the EU in early January.

Shortly before the call with Mr Macron, the Syrian Authority for Land and Sea Ports announced that French shipping giant CMA CGM will continue operating the important Latakia container terminal.

Under a new contract, the CMA CGM will continue operating the important Latakia container terminal on the Mediterranean Sea.

The agreement includes “new conditions and mechanisms” and the settlement of debts from both sides from the past decade, it said. Latakia is Syria’s most important port.

Iran had also sought to control the terminal, which CMA CGM has operated for years.

(dpa/NAN)