"It was clear to me"

Syria: No handshake for Foreign Minister

Annalena Baerbock, her French counterpart Jean-Noël Barrot and the Syrian ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa at the reception in Damascus.

(Bild: APA/AP)

During her visit to Syria, German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was refused a handshake by the new ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa. Her French counterpart, on the other hand, was politely offered her hand. Baerbock reacted to the scandal: she had not expected an "ordinary handshake". 

Baerbock had unexpectedly traveled to Syria on Friday morning with French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot on behalf of the EU - four weeks after the fall of dictator Bashar al-Assad. The incident occurred during the welcome in the capital Damascus: while ruler al-Sharaa shook hands with Barrot, he simply nodded to Baebock and placed his hand on his heart. 

This video shows the greeting in Damascus: 

As soon as she arrived at Damascus airport, representatives of the Islamist HTS militia refused to shake Baerbock's hand and instead indicated a bow. 

Practice is disapproved of
When asked about the incident by a journalist, Baerbock played it down: "Even when I arrived, it was clear to me in any case that there would obviously be no ordinary handshakes here," explained the Green politician. However, it had been made clear to the Islamist hosts that they did not approve of this practice. 

She explained that her counterpart had not initially extended his hand either, but had placed it in the area of the heart. According to Der Spiegel, Baerbock and Barrot had agreed in advance that neither of them would shake hands with the hosts. Only when al-Sharaas extended his did he briefly take it. The men's handshake also appears somewhat awkward.

During the meeting in Syria, the importance of women's rights was also discussed and that these are a measure of freedom in a society, explained Baerbock. The reception took place in the former palace of the ousted long-term ruler al-Assad. Baerbock had previously visited the former torture prison of the former regime.