The German Foreign Minister comments on controversial ‘handshake’ incident in Damascus
German news agency said that Foreign Minister Annalena Baerbock was forced to refrain from shaking hands with the de facto ruler of Syria, Ahmed al Sharaa.
Even when I arrived, it was clear to me that there would be no traditional handshakes, but we made it clear to our Islamist hosts that we don’t agree with this practice, and that respect for women’s rights is a measure of the degree of freedom enjoyed by society in general,” the agency quoted Baerbock as saying.
The German news agency added, “French Foreign Minister Jean-Noël Barrot didn’t extend his hand to shake hands either, as he arrived with his German colleague in Damascus on the same flight”.
The German news agency added, “al Sharaa, the leader of Hay’at Tahrir al Sham, received Baerbock and Barrot at the presidential palace, and while he did not shake hands with Baerbock, he extended his hand to Barrow, who had previously placed his hand on his heart as a greeting.”
The German agency quoted the former president of the German Institute for International and Security Affairs, Volker Perthes, as saying to the German Stern magazine, commenting on the event, that refusing to shake hands is a bad sign.
“What happened isn’t normal, even if we were aware of that before from countries led by conservative extremist Islamists, Iran for example, and Saudi Arabia until recently… What happened is not considered part of Syrian customs and traditions… I hope that Sharia in Syria will be criticized for its behavior”.
For its part, the German magazine Der Spiegel said that Baerbock and Barrot were informed in advance from Damascus that al Shara and the new male rulers don’t shake hands with women, and Baerbock and Barrot agreed that the latter wouldn’t shake hands with al Sharaa either.
