Switzerland appoints new diplomatic representative to Syria

Switzerland has appointed a new charge d'affaires to Syria, the Syrian regime's news agency SANA reported on Tuesday.

Marion Weichelt Krupski was welcomed by the Syrian regime's foreign minister, Faisal Al-Mekdad, as she visited Syria to present her credentials. However, she will not remain in the country, performing her role in a non-resident capacity.

Most of the European Union's member states broke off relations with the Syrian regime following its brutal suppression of peaceful pro-democracy protests which broke out in 2011. Only the Czech Republic has maintained a full embassy.

Over 500,000 Syrians have been killed and millions more displaced as a result of the conflict which broke out in that year, mostly as a result of regime bombardment of civilian areas.

Switzerland, which is not a member of the EU, closed its embassy in Damascus in 2012 for "security reasons".

In her meeting with Mekdad, Krupski reiterated Switzerland's neutral stance on the Syrian conflict and said her country would focus on humanitarian assistance to Syrians.