Syria’s Foreign Minister Asaad Al Shibani met State Department officials in New York on Tuesday to discuss counter-terrorism priorities, a diplomat told The National.
The meeting marked the first time American officials and Mr Al Shibani have met in the US. It had to take place in New York as Mr Al Shibani and his team are not allowed to travel to Washington because of visa restrictions.
It was not immediately clear who Mr Shibani met with from the State Department.
Damascus’s new government has been seeking to mend ties with Washington, hoping for relief from debilitating sanctions imposed on the regime of former president Bashar Al Assad.
State Department spokeswoman Tammy Bruce said that “some representatives of the Syrian interim authorities are in New York for various UN meetings".
“You know that we continue to assess our Syria policy cautiously and will judge the interim authorities by their actions,” she added. “We are not normalising diplomatic relations with Syria.”
Damascus is seeking permanent sanctions relief from the US, saying the measures are deterring international organisations and companies from investing in Syria’s reconstruction. The European Union and UK have begun to lift Assad-era sanctions but the new US administration has kept them in place.
Mr Al Shibani has been in the US for meetings for several days and last week at the UN, he raised the three-star flag of Syria’s uprising as the official Syrian flag, 14 years after the war erupted.
The US last month set eight conditions for Damascus to fulfil if sanctions are to be lifted, including the destruction of remaining chemical weapons stockpiles and ensuring foreigners are not given senior governing roles.
The diplomat said talks with American officials would focus on counter-terrorism. The US this month said it would cut its anti-ISIS troop presence in Syria by about half.
US President Donald Trump's administration has not formally recognised Syria’s self-declared government, led by Ahmad Al Shara, a former insurgent who commanded the offensive that led to Mr Al Assad's removal.
Apart from providing limited sanctions relief, Washington has maintained most restrictions, complicating Damascus’s efforts to reintegrate into the global economy.
At a UN Security Council meeting on Syria last week, Mr Al Shibani said sanctions are undermining stability and blocking economic recovery.
Our legal consultant
Name: Dr Hassan Mohsen Elhais
Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
The Saga Continues
Wu-Tang Clan
(36 Chambers / Entertainment One)
Mobile phone packages comparison
Walls
Louis Tomlinson
3 out of 5 stars
(Syco Music/Arista Records)
Fixtures
Tuesday - 5.15pm: Team Lebanon v Alger Corsaires; 8.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Pharaohs
Wednesday - 5.15pm: Pharaohs v Carthage Eagles; 8.30pm: Alger Corsaires v Abu Dhabi Storms
Thursday - 4.30pm: Team Lebanon v Pharaohs; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Carthage Eagles
Friday - 4.30pm: Pharaohs v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Team Lebanon
Saturday - 4.30pm: Carthage Eagles v Alger Corsaires; 7.30pm: Abu Dhabi Storms v Team Lebanon
10 tips for entry-level job seekers
- Have an up-to-date, professional LinkedIn profile. If you don’t have a LinkedIn account, set one up today. Avoid poor-quality profile pictures with distracting backgrounds. Include a professional summary and begin to grow your network.
- Keep track of the job trends in your sector through the news. Apply for job alerts at your dream organisations and the types of jobs you want – LinkedIn uses AI to share similar relevant jobs based on your selections.
- Double check that you’ve highlighted relevant skills on your resume and LinkedIn profile.
- For most entry-level jobs, your resume will first be filtered by an applicant tracking system for keywords. Look closely at the description of the job you are applying for and mirror the language as much as possible (while being honest and accurate about your skills and experience).
- Keep your CV professional and in a simple format – make sure you tailor your cover letter and application to the company and role.
- Go online and look for details on job specifications for your target position. Make a list of skills required and set yourself some learning goals to tick off all the necessary skills one by one.
- Don’t be afraid to reach outside your immediate friends and family to other acquaintances and let them know you are looking for new opportunities.
- Make sure you’ve set your LinkedIn profile to signal that you are “open to opportunities”. Also be sure to use LinkedIn to search for people who are still actively hiring by searching for those that have the headline “I’m hiring” or “We’re hiring” in their profile.
- Prepare for online interviews using mock interview tools. Even before landing interviews, it can be useful to start practising.
- Be professional and patient. Always be professional with whoever you are interacting with throughout your search process, this will be remembered. You need to be patient, dedicated and not give up on your search. Candidates need to make sure they are following up appropriately for roles they have applied.
Arda Atalay, head of Mena private sector at LinkedIn Talent Solutions, Rudy Bier, managing partner of Kinetic Business Solutions and Ben Kinerman Daltrey, co-founder of KinFitz
Our family matters legal consultant
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Position: legal consultant with Al Rowaad Advocates and Legal Consultants.
MEFCC information
Tickets range from Dh110 for an advance single-day pass to Dh300 for a weekend pass at the door. VIP tickets have sold out. Visit www.mefcc.com to purchase tickets in advance.
The Details
Article 15
Produced by: Carnival Cinemas, Zee Studios
Directed by: Anubhav Sinha
Starring: Ayushmann Khurrana, Kumud Mishra, Manoj Pahwa, Sayani Gupta, Zeeshan Ayyub
Our rating: 4/5
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