Seoul, April 15
Syria extended South Korea's top diplomat the highest diplomatic courtesies during his visit last week to forge formal ties, signalling a strong commitment to deepening cooperation in the economy, reconstruction and other fields, a Seoul official said Tuesday.
Foreign Minister Cho Tae-yul travelled to Damascus last Thursday to formalise the diplomatic relations, a milestone that completed Seoul's endeavours to have formal ties with every UN member state except North Korea.
Cho's trip was conducted discreetly due to the security situation in Syria, where an interim government has taken power following the overthrow of former leader Bashar al-Assad's half-century dictatorship.
During his brief visit, Cho was accorded top-level diplomatic protocol, including security three times the scale usually provided for a foreign minister, a Seoul official said on background.
"Minister Cho was welcomed with full honours and escorted by a full security convoy from the moment he arrived at the airport until we crossed the Lebanese border," the official said.
Following the bilateral talks, Syrian Foreign Minister Asaad al-Shaibani surprised Cho and his delegation by personally driving him to the presidential palace for a courtesy call on Syria's interim President Ahmed al-Sharaa.
"It is considered the highest form of courtesy in the Arab world for a dignitary to personally take the wheel and escort a guest. It was an exceptional gesture of hospitality," the official said.