The Syrian presidency stated: “President Ahmad Al-Shara arrived at the White House on an official visit to the United States of America, where he was received by the American President, Mr. Donald Trump.” The statement continued: “The two presidents held a meeting in the presence of the Minister of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates, Mr. Asaad Al-Shibani, and the U.S. Secretary of State, Mr. Marco Rubio.” The statement added: “The discussions covered bilateral relations between the Syrian Arab Republic and the United States, and ways to enhance and develop them, in addition to a number of regional and international issues of common interest.” In a previous statement, Ahmad Zidan, the media advisor to President Al-Shara, described the visit as a “historic event,” being the first official visit of a Syrian president to the White House. He confirmed that “the aim is to open a new chapter.” Earlier in October, the U.S. Department of State informed Sputnik that “the Trump administration supports lifting the sanctions imposed on Syria under the ‘Caesar Act,’ following the signing of an executive order by the American president to lift several sanctions in place since 2004.”
