DAMASCUS, Aug 24, 2008 (AFP) - Syrian President Bashar al-Assad has named Lamia Shakkour as ambassador to France after months of the post being vacant, the official SANA news agency said on Sunday.
Shakkour was sworn in on Sunday before Assad, the news agency added.
"President Assad wished Mrs. Shakkour success in her mission," it said.
The post has been vacant since the previous ambassador, Siba Nasser, retired 18 months ago and was not replaced. Charge d'affaires Chaghaf Kayali has in the meantime handled diplomatic issues between the two countries.
The announcement comes a day before French Foreign Minister Bernard Kouchner, whose country holds the European Union presidency, is due in Damascus for talks with Syrian leaders.
The minister's visit Monday to Damascus will be the first by a French government member since former president Jacques Chirac broke off ties in response to the February 2005 assassination of former Lebanese premier Rafiq Hariri.
Washington continues to blacklist Syria as a state sponsor of terrorism but France has moved to bring Assad out of the diplomatic cold.
French President Nicolas Sarkozy is expected in September in the Syrian capital, the first visit to Damascus by a French leader since Chirac went there in 2002.
The former president cut off all high-level contacts with Syria, a former French colony, after repeatedly accusing Damascus of having had a hand in Hariri's assassination. Syria has denied the claims.
In July, Assad visited Paris, marking Syria's return to the international scene after years of isolation.
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