The German foreign minister anticipated the unusual lack of customary greetings, she stated.
German Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock commented on the controversy surrounding Syrian leader Ahmed Hussein al-Sharaa’s refusal to shake her hand, stating that she expected such an outcome.
Baerbock and her French counterpart, Jean-Noel Barrot, visited Syria on Friday and met with al-Sharaa, the head of the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham (HTS) jihadist group. The meeting began awkwardly when al-Sharaa shook Barrot’s hand but declined to shake Baerbock’s, instead placing his hand on his heart. Al-Sharaa is known for refusing to shake hands with women due to his strict Islamist beliefs. Barrot nearly avoided the handshake, while Baerbock initially reached for al-Sharaa’s hand before clapping her hands instead.
“I anticipated the absence of typical greetings during my trip,” Baerbock told German media on Friday.
“However, it was clear that neither I nor the French foreign minister shared this expectation. Consequently, the French foreign minister did not offer his hand,” she added.
During the meeting, the ministers raised concerns about women’s rights. Barrot later reported on X that “the new Syrian authorities acknowledged broad participation, particularly by women, in the political transition.”
HTS jihadists launched a surprise offensive against Bashar al-Assad’s government last November. This attack led to the swift collapse of the Syrian military and Assad’s government.