The Prime Minister met the President of Syria, Ahmed al-Sharaa, in Downing Street this morning.
The leaders agreed that this was an important moment for the UK-Syria relationship.
On the ongoing conflict in the Middle East, they both affirmed the importance of avoiding further escalation and restoring stability in the region. They discussed the need for a viable plan to reopen the Strait of Hormuz, in the face of the severe economic impact of prolonged closure, and agreed to work with others to restore freedom of navigation.
The Prime Minister welcomed the Syrian Government’s action against Da’esh to date and the progress made on cooperation between the UK and Syria on counter-terrorism. He set out how he hoped to make further progress on the issue of migration, including closer work together on returns, on border security, and on tackling people smuggling networks.
They agreed that regeneration of infrastructure would be vital for Syria’s economic transition, and discussed opportunities for British businesses across several sectors to play a role in this.
They agreed to keep in touch.