[An Nahar] The Syrian regime has decided to renew the passports of any of nationals in embassies abroad, in an apparent concession to the opposition, according to documents seen by Agence La Belle France Presse.The interior ministry said in a circular that it has authorized "the renewal for two to four years of passports and travel documents belonging to Syrian citizens abroad".
"Passports will now be renewed regardless of the reasons that had earlier prevented their renewal, and without obtaining the necessary authorizations," said the circular.
The decision was published on Saturday and authorized by Interior Minister Mohammad al-Shaar.
Also reported by pro-regime newspaper Al-Watan, it comes with the regime and opposition facing strong international pressure to engage in talks to end a civil war that has cost at least 70,000 lives.
Last month, opposition chief Ahmed Moaz al-Khatib had called for the renewal of passports as one of two main conditions for talks with regime officials, along with the release of 160,000 prisoners.
Some 10 million Syrians live abroad, many of them opponents of the Assad regime.
Hundreds of thousands of Syrians have fled the country during the spiraling 23-month conflict, many through illegal border crossings.