Damascus, March 6 (NationPress) Syria's interim Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani concluded a significant 24-hour diplomatic trip to the Netherlands, highlighted by a momentous visit to the Organization for the Prohibition of Chemical Weapons (OPCW) in The Hague.

"For the first time in history, Syria addressed the Executive Council of the OPCW through its foreign minister," al-Shibani noted on social media platform X.

In his remarks to the global chemical weapons authority, he reiterated Syria's determination to address the ongoing issue of its remaining chemical weapons.

"This participation reaffirms Syria's commitment to international security," he stated.

During his diplomatic mission, al-Shibani also met with Dutch Foreign Minister Caspar Veldkamp to "open a new page in Syrian-Dutch relations" and attended two meetings—one with OPCW Director-General Fernando Arias alongside several foreign ambassadors, and another with Arab ambassadors. They discussed (Syria's) transitional justice, methods to support Syria’s progress in this area, and enhancing bilateral ties, according to reports from Xinhua news agency.

Arias had visited Damascus in February to engage with the leadership of Syria's interim government.

Interim Foreign Minister Asaad Hassan al-Shibani has advocated for an outward-looking foreign policy centered on Arab cooperation and mitigating regional tensions since Ahmed al-Sharaa was appointed as Syria's interim President.

Al-Sharaa, who led the Hayat Tahrir al-Sham group since 2017, was instrumental in the campaign that resulted in the removal of former Syrian President Bashar al-Assad in December 2024, which led to the formation of the Syrian transitional government. He has effectively been the nation’s leader since Assad’s ousting.

Syria's Military Operations Administration announced on January 29 the appointment of al-Sharaa as President for the transitional period, empowering him to create an interim legislative council until a permanent constitution is approved.