Syria’s Assad names veteran diplomat Faisal Mekdad as new foreign minister
Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has appointed Faisal Mekdad as the new foreign minister to replace his predecessor Walid al-Muallem, who recently passed away.
The presidency announced in a statement that President Assad also named Syria’s former permanent representative to the United Nations in New York, Bashar al-Ja’afari, as deputy foreign minister.
Ja’afari will be replaced by Syrian Ambassador to Vienna Bassam al-Sabbagh.
Mekdad, 66, started a career at the Syrian Ministry of Foreign Affairs and Expatriates in 1994, and has been deputy foreign minister since 2006.
He was his country's permanent representative to the UN from 2003 to 2006 before he became deputy foreign minister. Mekdad accompanied Muallem to most meetings and conferences.
He was born in 1956 in Ghasam village which lies in the southern province of Daraa.
The top Syrian diplomat holds a doctorate in English literature from Charles University in Prague.
Ja’afari was born in 1956 and hails from Damascus. He holds degrees in French literature and translation, a doctorate in political sciences from the Sorbonne University in Paris and is fluent in English, French and Farsi, in addition to his native Arabic.
Muallem died on November 16 at the age of 79 after suffering years of a heart condition.
Syria’s de facto new ruler names Asaad al-Shibani as foreign minister
Iranian embassy staffer assassinated by terrorists in Damascus
Israeli forces open fire on Syrians protesting occupation
Iran: US airstrikes on Yemen war crimes, violation of international law
Yemeni armed forces down F-18 fighter jet, repel US-UK attack: Spokesman
Iran warns against US-Israeli plot to weaken Muslims, dominate region
VIDEO | Public uproar in US against Israeli regime
‘Ghost town’: 70% of Jabalia buildings destroyed by Israel
Mother’s Day: Sareh Javanmardi’s inspiring journey as Paralympic champion and mother
Russia downs over 40 Ukrainian drones as Putin vows 'destruction' on Kiev
VIDEO | Yemen: A bone in Israeli neck
PressTV NEWSLETTER
now
This makes it easy to access the Press TV website
