France raised its flag at its Damascus embassy on Tuesday for the first time in 12 years and European Union officials prepared to engage with the new Syrian leadership, a sign of the growing contacts after Bashar al-Assad was ousted as president.

Qatar reopened its embassy in Damascus after 13 years, signaling renewed diplomatic ties with Syria`s new leadership.

France raised a flag on Tuesday over its embassy in Damascus, Syria, after it had been closed for 12 years during the country's civil war, the foreign ministry said.

France will continue to work with its partners to help Syrians find a way to achieve reconciliation and reconstruction through a politically inclusive solution,' says Foreign Ministry - Anadolu Ajansı

France raised the flag on Tuesday over its embassy in Damascus 12 years after cutting ties with Syria's Bashar al-Assad amid the country's civil war, with its diplomats meeting an official from the transitional team,