PARIS (Reuters) -French President Emmanuel Macron will host a meeting with Syria's President Ahmed al-Sharaa in Paris on Wednesday, the French presidency said on Tuesday. During the meeting, Macron will reaffirm France's support for the construction of a "free,

Sharaa on Wednesday meets France's Emmanuel Macron in Paris on his first visit to Europe since overthrowing longtime ruler Bashar al-Assad.The visit comes with Syria's new authorities, who have roots in the Al-Qaeda jihadist network,

As a former colonial power in the region, France has interests in Lebanon and Syria, and is seen as having a more balanced Mideast policy than the US and UK.