French lawmakers in first Damascus visit for three years
A cross-party group of French lawmakers held talks with Syrian officials in Damascus on Tuesday, the first such contacts in the Syrian capital since the closure of France's embassy there in 2012, Reuters reported.
However, the French Foreign Ministry made it clear the lawmakers did not represent France, which opposes any rapprochement with the government of Bashar al-Assad.
"This is an initiative of parliamentarians which, in accordance with the separation of powers, has not been agreed in conjunction with the foreign ministry," a ministry spokesman said.
The delegation was led by Gerard Bapt of France's ruling Socialist Party and includes officials from the lower and upper houses of parliament. The trip was not approved by French parliament's foreign affairs committee.
They are due back in Paris on Thursday.