Lipavský: Czech diplomatic staff will return to Syria when situation allows

Czech diplomatic staff will return to Syria when the situation allows, Foreign Minister Jan Lipavský said after a meeting of top Czech officials at Prague Castle. He confirmed that all Czech diplomats had been temporarily withdrawn from Damascus and are currently in Lebanon. Lipavský stressed the importance of protecting Czech citizens abroad and noted that Hayat Tahrir ash-Sham (HTS), now in control of Damascus, remains a terrorist group, and urged caution in future dealings with Syria. Czechia’s top officials met at Prague Castle for the first time since July to discuss foreign policy. In addition to the current volatile situation in Syria, they also discussed the war in Ukraine, and the ongoing conflict in the Gaza Strip.