Germany’s Baerbock reacts to Syrian handshake outrage
(MENAFN) German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock admitted that the refusal of Syria's de facto leader, Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa, to shake her hand during a visit was expected. Baerbock and French Foreign Minister Jean-Noel Barrot made an unexpected trip to Syria on Friday to meet al-Sharaa, the head of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadist group. The meeting began with an awkward moment when al-Sharaa shook Barrot's hand but deliberately avoided Baerbock, placing his hand on his heart instead. This gesture was in line with his hardline Islamist views, which include refusing to shake hands with women.
Baerbock acknowledged the situation, stating that she was aware beforehand there would be no "ordinary handshakes." She added that both she and Barrot did not share al-Sharaa's stance on the issue. During their meeting, the ministers discussed women's rights in Syria, with al-Sharaa acknowledging the importance of women's participation in the country’s political transition following the collapse of Bashar Assad’s government in November.
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