QAMISHLI, Syria (North Press) – Italy decided to appoint an ambassador to Syria “to turn a spotlight” on the country, Italian Minister of Foreign Affairs, Antonio Tajani, said on Friday.

This makes Italy the first G7 nation to relaunch its diplomatic mission in Damascus since the start of the Syrian conflict. 

Tajani added that Stefano Ravagnan, currently the foreign ministry’s special envoy for Syria, was named as ambassador. “He is due to take up his post shortly,” Tajani told Reuters.  

The step came after eight member states of the European Union (EU) called on the block to reassess its approach to the Syrian government after 13 years of the conflict.

Last week, foreign ministers of Austria, Croatia, Cyprus, Czech Republic, Greece, Italy, Slovakia and Slovenia wrote in a letter to EU High Representative for Foreign Affairs and Security Policy, Josep Borrell, calling for reassessing and reviewing the EU approach to the Syrian government.

“Borrell mandated the European External Action Service to study what can be done,” Tajani noted. “Naming a new ambassador was in line with the letter we sent to Borrel … to turn the spotlight on Syria.”

Italy recalled all staff from its embassy in Damascus in 2012 and suspended diplomatic activity in Syria to protest at “the unacceptable violence” of the Syrian government against the protesters who took to the streets. 

By Jwan Shekaki