France plans conference on Syria on Feb. 13

ANKARA

France will host a conference on Syria in February, the French presidency announced Thursday.

French President Emmanuel Macron and Saudi Crown Prince Mohammed bin Salman spoke by phone about Syria, the Elysee Palace said in a statement, according to media reports.

The two leaders reportedly discussed the situation in Syria following the fall of the Bashar Assad regime last month and reiterated their commitment to support an inclusive political transition.

Macron, in this conversation, confirmed that an international conference was planned in Paris on Feb. 13.

Assad, Syria’s leader for nearly 25 years, fled to Russia after anti-regime groups took control of the capital Damascus on Dec. 8, ending the Baath Party’s regime, which had been in power since 1963.