Brasília – This Friday (20th), the Brazilian Ministry of Foreign Relations issued a statement announcing that its transfer of personnel from the Brazilian Embassy in Damascus, the Syrian capital, to Beirut, in the neighbouring Lebanon, is temporary. The measure does not imply the shutting down of the Brazilian representation in Damascus, which will continue to assist Brazilian citizens in Syria, contrary to what the initial information which arrived in Brazil had indicated.
The employees have been in Lebanon since early this Friday. However, Salim Joseph Sayegh will remain in Damascus as a liaison to the Consulate General in Beirut and the Brazilian Embassy to Amman, Jordan. Consular assistance in the Syrian capital will be available by calling (963-11) 612-4551/4552/4557.
The measure was decided on last Wednesday (18th) during meetings in Brasília, coordinated by the presidential cabinet (Palácio do Planalto) in partnership with the ministries of Foreign Relations (Itamaraty) and Defence. The Brazilian government waited for a warning from the Brazilian ambassador to Damascus, Edgard Casciano, before ordering the temporary closing of the office in the city, and the transferring of the employees to Beirut, Lebanon, where they will continue working.
The conflicts between Syrian rebels who oppose the government of president Bashar Al Assad and its security forces has worsened in the last few days. According to NGO Syrian Observatory for Human Rights, more than 16,000 people have died in the conflicts, which have been going on for over a year and a half now.
*Translated by Gabriel Pomerancblum
