A former government representative for the Assad regime has been recruited by the current Syrian government to advise on US affairs.
Jihad Al Makdissi was a spokesperson for the foreign minister during the Assad regime. He has been appointed as an adviser on US affairs by Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara.
Mr Makdissi expressed "great pride and deep gratitude" for his return to Syria's diplomatic ranks. He thanked Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani for the "confidence" he has placed in him.
"I regard this appointment as a great honour and responsibility, and I am committed to dedicating my experience and efforts to serving Syria’s interests and strengthening constructive ties between Syria and the United States," he wrote.
Mr Makdissi ended his statement with a prayer for God to protect a "free Syria".
Mr Makdissi previously worked to propagate the former regime's positions on foreign affairs. That included denying the 2012 Al Houla massacre, in which more than 100 people were killed and 300 people were injured in Homs. The UN determined that most of the victims were executed.
Mr Makdissi dismissed the determination as a "tsunami of lies", but defected a few months later, announcing that he could no longer work for the regime because of its "violence and polarisation that left no place for moderation and diplomacy".
He later went on to become an opposition member and head of the secular Cairo Platform, which pushed for a diplomatic solution to the crisis in the country. Mr Makdissi remained in the region for a few years before eventually going to the US, where he has stayed since.
Since taking power, Mr Al Shara has built strong ties with the US. US President Donald Trump described him as a man with a "strong past" in reference to his time as a fighter.
Mr Makdissi's appointment comes days after Mr Trump said Syria could intervene in Lebanon to fight Hezbollah. Mr Al Shara has since ruled out that possibility.
