This came during a press conference he held with Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa at the Élysée Palace as part of an official visit to Paris, his first to a European country since the Syrian president assumed office.
Macron said, "The fall of Bashar al-Assad was a relief to everyone, and Syrians must unite today to achieve peace and stability," according to the Syrian Arab News Agency (SANA).
The French president continued, "Syria is facing significant difficulties, and the international community must cooperate with and support it to overcome these difficulties."
He stressed "the need to preserve the unity of Syrian territory and the equality of rights among all components of the Syrian people," and said that "Israel's attacks on Syrian territory are a bad practice and a violation of Syria's sovereignty and unity."
He stressed that "France is ready to cooperate with Syria to fight ISIS in the interests of both countries."
Sharia:
For his part, Syrian President Ahmad al-Sharaa said, "We are conducting indirect negotiations with Israel through mediators to calm the situation, so that matters do not reach a point where both sides lose control."
He added, "Israel bombed Syria more than 20 times last week, and it must stop its random actions and interference in Syrian affairs." He noted that all parties were informed that "Syria is committed to the 1974 agreement (the disengagement agreement with Israel)."
Although the new Syrian administration, headed by Sharaa, has not threatened Israel in any way, Tel Aviv has been launching airstrikes on Syria on an almost daily basis for months, killing civilians and destroying Syrian military sites, vehicles, and ammunition.
In another context, Sharaa expressed his gratitude to the French president and people for welcoming Syrian refugees over the past years and for welcoming him today, saying, "France has been a friend of the Syrian people and has stood by them throughout the years of the revolution."
Al-Sharaa continued: "When the Syrian people rose up against the Assad regime in 2011, we did not expect our revolution to go through so many stages and be subjected to the most extreme violence, but the people refused to submit to tyranny."
He added, "Today, I discussed with President Macron ways to advance issues of mutual interest, including reconstruction and stability in Syria, which represents stability for the entire region."
The Syrian president said, "We realize that the post-revolution period is difficult, and we are collectively trying to come to terms with the end of an authoritarian regime that used sectarianism and terror as weapons against Syrian society for 54 years."
He explained that his country had "recently witnessed tragic events, and we moved quickly to confront the attacks. We formed a committee to investigate the incidents perpetrated by militants affiliated with the former regime in the Sahel, and the Human Rights Council welcomed its formation." He emphasized, "We will not allow sectarian strife or the violation of Syria's sovereignty by external parties."
"We inherited a devastated infrastructure, cities with destroyed homes and no electricity. Reconstruction is our top priority, and we seek to provide basic services and ensure a decent life for citizens," Al-Sharaa said.
He pointed out that "Syria is not marginalized today, and its economy is intertwined with the global economy. The sanctions imposed on it as a result of the practices of the former regime must be lifted, and there is no justification for them to remain in place, as they would be a form of sanctions against the people."
He expressed his hope that "there will be good news for the Syrian people that we can gain from this meeting," and said, "Syria's future will not be shaped in closed rooms, nor will it be decided in distant capitals."
Al-Sharaa said, "The events in the coastal area were carried out by remnants of the former regime, who caused the deaths. We have formed two committees: one for civil peace and the other for fact-finding. We will hold accountable the perpetrators and those responsible for the crimes." He added, "Syria has been subjected to the most terrorism by the former regime, and we stand in solidarity with the victims of terrorism everywhere. We have no connection to any criminal act outside Syria."
He stressed: "We carried out our combat operations to liberate Syria with honor and integrity, and we saved the region from the terrorism that was weighing heavily on the hearts of Syrians and the region."
Earlier on Wednesday, Sharaa arrived at Charles de Gaulle Airport in Paris, and Macron welcomed him upon his arrival at the Élysée Palace.
On December 8, 2024, Syrian factions completed their control of the country, ending 61 years of Baath Party rule and 53 years of Assad family control, including 24 years during which Bashar al-Assad held the presidency (2000-2024).
