CAIRO — Syria’s chief diplomat was in Egypt on Saturday in a step towards normalizing ties between the 2 international locations. It was the primary journey to the capital of Cairo for a Syrian international minister in over a decade.

Overseas Minister Faisal Mekdad met with Egyptian counterpart Sameh Shoukry for talks that addressed ties between the 2 international locations together with different regional and worldwide subjects, in response to Ahmed Abu Zaid, a spokesperson for the Egyptian international ministry.

The 2 ministers first held a “tête-à-tête” assembly earlier than being joined by their delegations for wider consultations on means to assist the “Syrian individuals to revive its unity and sovereignty over its complete territories,” Abu Zaid mentioned.

Shoukry additionally reiterated Egypt’s assist for U.N.-brokered efforts to realize a political settlement to Syria’s battle, the spokesman mentioned.

Mekdad’s go to comes as the 2 international locations inch towards re-establishing ties. It’s been greater than a decade since Syria was globally remoted after President Bashar Assad’s brutal crackdown on mass protests in opposition to his rule within the 2011 Arab Spring rebellion. The unrest shortly descended into protracted civil warfare.

For years, many public figures in Egypt have urged the federal government of President Abdel Fattah el-Sissi to revive ties with Assad’s authorities. In addition they pushed for Damascus’ return to the Cairo-based Arab League.

Syria was suspended from the Arab League and different pan-Arab organizations. However in recent times a number of Arab international locations have begun restoring ties with Assad’s authorities after it regained management over a lot of the nation, due to army help from Iran and Russia.

A devastating earthquake that caught Turkey and Syria in February has intensified strikes to normalize ties with Syria. A number of Arab nations dispatched senior officers and despatched assist to point out solidarity with Syria and Turkey. Assad additionally was hosted lately within the United Arab Emirates and Oman.

El-Sissi spoke with Assad by cellphone after the earthquake hit and despatched Shoukry to Damascus, the place he met with Assad. Shoukry was Egypt’s most senior official to go to Syria since 2011.