Al Shara meets Starmer at Downing Street in landmark Syrian visit

Relations severed after former regime's brutal crackdown are slowly being rebuilt

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  Keir Starmer, UK Prime Minister, right, with Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara at No 10 Downing Street in London on March 31. Bloomberg

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  Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara, right, accompanied by Syrian Foreign Asaad Al Shibani, left, leaves No 10 Downing Street after his first meeting with a British leader in London. EPA

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  Mounted Metropolitan Police officers with the Syrian presidential motorcade as it leaves Downing Street in London. EPA

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  Keir Starmer, UK Prime Minister, left, greets Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara at No 10 Downing Street on his arrival in London. EPA

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  Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara arrives in Downing Street, the official residence of the British Prime Minister. Getty Images

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Syrian President Ahmad Al Shara was in London on Tuesday morning meeting UK Prime Minister Keir Starmer in the latest leg of a ground-breaking European tour.

Later in the day, Mr Al Shara is due at Chatham House for interviews and audience questions.

Britain and Syria are expected to discuss full diplomatic relations and boosting economic ties, as Damascus promotes a future energy role as a conduit to European markets. Relations between the two countries were severed after the Assad regime's brutal crackdown on its own people, but are slowly being rebuilt. War in the region is also expected to feature heavily in the discussion.

Syria's President Ahmad Al Shara in London before a meeting with Britain's Prime Minister Keir Starmer. AFP

Mr Al Shara was in Berlin on Monday, where German Chancellor Friedrich ​Merz said ​Syrian refugees who ⁠found asylum in Germany had ⁠an important part to play ​in rebuilding their country and his government would help those ⁠who want to return.

Speaking after a meeting with Mr Al Shara, Mr Merz said many Syrian ⁠refugees had made a major contribution in Germany ​but ⁠most wanted ‌to return to their home country.

“It is impossible to discuss recovery and reconstruction without addressing the Syrians in Germany,” Mr Al Shara said. “We have 1.3 million Syrians here, including 6,000 doctors working in your hospitals.”