Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said he will travel to Syria on Friday to encourage the country's transition following the ouster of President Bashar Assad by Islamist insurgents, and said Europe should review its sanctions on Damascus now that the political situation has changed.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani said on Friday that he had called for a moratorium on EU sanctions on Syria for six months or one year, but that a final decision could only come from the entire bloc.

Italy has signalled its willingness to act as a bridge-builder between Syria and the European Union after the fall of long-term ruler Bashar al-Assad. "Italy is ready to play its part in promoting the reform process in Syria,

Syria's new leader Ahmed al-Sharaa told visiting Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on Friday that he was ready to stem "illegal immigration" to Europe, the European diplomat said.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani is travelling to Syria on Friday to encourage the country’s transition following the ouster of President Bashar Assad by Islamist insurgents, and said Europe should review its sanctions on Damascus now that the political situation has changed.

We want to be a bridge in the new Syria and the EU,' says Antonio Tajani during his visit to Damascus - Anadolu Ajansı

Italy said it is prepared to make proposals on private investments in health care for Syrians, and is seeking to coordinate several post-Assad initiatives.

Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani met Syria's new ruler Ahmed al-Sharaa in Damascus Friday, state media said, in the latest such visit from a European diplomat since the fall of Bashar al-Assad.

By bnm Gulf bureau Syria's new administration head Ahmad al-Sharaa met Italian Foreign Minister Antonio Tajani on January 10, as the country seeks to rebuild international ties, local Al Watan reported.