Spain Maintains Syrian Asylum Processing Amid Leadership Change

Spain will continue processing asylum requests from Syrian nationals despite the fall of President Bashar al-Assad. Unlike Germany and France, Spain sees no need to suspend applications, given the lower numbers received. Spain plans to enhance diplomatic efforts in Syria for a peaceful transition.

Following the fall of President Bashar al-Assad on Sunday, Spain will continue to process asylum requests from Syrian nationals without interruption, as confirmed by Foreign Minister Jose Manuel Albares on Tuesday.

While countries like Germany and France have suspended Syrian asylum applications, Spain sees no necessity for similar action, attributed to the comparatively lower number of applications received. 'At this moment that suspension is not necessary and is not being discussed,' Albares stated during a news briefing.

Data from the Interior Ministry reveals that 1,393 Syrians have sought asylum in Spain within the first 11 months of the year. Spain is also planning to reinforce its embassy staff in Damascus and potentially dispatch a special envoy to Syria to initiate dialogue with the new authorities, hoping for a peaceful transition with an emphasis on human rights.

(With inputs from agencies.)